


Beneath the Surface

by TheMoreYunho



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angels, Demon, Fantasy, Gen, Supernatural Elements, Underworld, detailed, dragon - Freeform, seongjoong
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 09:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29607297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMoreYunho/pseuds/TheMoreYunho
Summary: 3 Volumes in 1 book──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ────Volume 1:CompletedA SeongJoong fantasy AUFree-time artist Hongjoong  meets a mysterious man named Seonghwa. They seem to be getting along well but Seonghwa is hiding something from Hongjoong. But what? How will their encounter change his life?──── ⋅ ★ ⋅ ────Volume 2:Continuation with Wooyoung as main- teaser to be added later -
Relationships: Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. Vol 1: Lights

**Author's Note:**

> I’m new to posting on AO3. I’m confused and trying to figure out how to do this lmao
> 
> 3 Volumes in 1 book  
> Volume 1: Completed  
> Volume 2: Ongoing
> 
> ──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ────
> 
> Volume 1:  
> A SeongJoong fantasy AU
> 
> Contains:  
> 8 chapters + 1 facts page
> 
> ──── ⋅ ★ ⋅ ──── 
> 
> Volume 2:  
> Continuation with Wooyoung as main
> 
> EVENTUALLY 8 chapters in total

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was a late summer's day, the blue sky above was dotted with white cotton clouds, and Hongjoong sat peacefully on a bench watching the world around him. He watched some pigeons make a fuss over a piece of bread and his eyes followed them as one bird fled with the bread, the others following not far behind. He could hear the laughter of families playing with their kids in the open areas of the park. From further away a faint barking sounded from the pet-friendly zone. The air was warm but not hot. A soft little breeze blew past him and some lonely strands of his hair wavered along with it.

It was a late summer's day, the blue sky above was dotted with white cotton clouds, and Hongjoong sat peacefully on a bench watching the world around him. He watched some pigeons make a fuss over a piece of bread and his eyes followed them as one bird fled with the bread, the others following not far behind. He could hear the laughter of families playing with their kids in the open areas of the park. From further away a faint barking sounded from the pet-friendly zone. The air was warm but not hot. A soft little breeze blew past him and some lonely strands of his hair wavered along with it. 

It was the last week before summer break ended and everyone were out and about trying to make the best of their remaining free time. The city was bustling with activity as most had already returned home from their vacations. From within the park Hongjoong could barely hear the city noise. Only vaguely if he tried hard enough. On the other hand he could definitely still see it. The city. Beyond the large trees outlining the park rose tall high rise buildings. Some would probably even be considered skyscrapers. The sun's reflection on the glass covered buildings made him squint as he looked up. He closed his eyes for a moment, observing the imprints which the bright light had left in his eyes, before opening them again. 

Hongjoong got up, did a little stretch and was about to move on when he noticed something. Or was it actually someone. Crouched beside a flower bed was a young man, probably around the same age as himself. His hair was ash grey with the comma style and an undercut. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt and black jeans. An also black jacket was slung over his left arm. 

Hongjoong approached the stranger and stood a little off to one side with a slight tilt in attempt to see what the other was looking at. He eventually noticed Hongjoong's shadow and stood up. He was quite a bit taller than Hongjoong but who wasn't taller than him. The eyes of the other were a beautiful smoky grey and it was obvious that his hair color had been chosen to match the eyes. The two of them stared at each other for a moment that felt too long. Hongjoong broke the slightly awkward silence first. 

HJ: "Did you find anything of interest?"

???: "Not really."

The taller man glanced down at the flowers uneasily. He seemed slightly flustered by being approached so suddenly. 

HJ: "My name is Hongjoong. Do you live nearby? I've not seen you around before."

Hongjoong attempted to spark a conversation between the two of them. The stranger seemed a bit hesitant before replying. 

SH: "I am Seonghwa. It is my first time here though I guess you could say I live nearby."

Seonghwa cracked a small smile. His voice was soft and slightly deep. Even though he spoke quietly his voice did not tremble at all. It was a voice that undoubtedly held power and probably also a certain level of authority. Hongjoong could not pinpoint which type of person he might be. Could he be a CEO for some company? Maybe he was a big politician? It would definitely be some sort of leadership role though he did not know which. 

Quite suddenly it felt like something had changed within Seonghwa. His eyes which had seemed somewhat distant grew warm and welcoming. It felt like they started to focus. Onto Hongjoong to be precise. 

SH: "Want to join me for tea?"

Seonghwa spoke warmly and had now turned his body in the direction of a path that would lead them out of the park. Hongjoong nodded and started to walk in the direction which the other had initiated. 

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ────

The two of them had found a small cafe in which they were now seated by the window. Seonghwa had tea while Hongjoong had coffee. Hongjoong was slightly worried about the silence between the two of them but he also kind of enjoyed it. There was something comforting about Seonghwa's presence. He just couldn't figure out what. 

SH: "Do you go to the park often? You seemed familiar with your surroundings."

Hongjoong adverted his gaze from the street outside to the man opposite of him. 

HJ: "I go there when I feel in need for inspiration. I love watching the butterflies during the summer and feeling the warmth of the sun."

SH: "Inspiration?" 

Seonghwa's voice was encouraging Hongjoong to continue talking. And he did. 

HJ: "I'm an artist in my free time. I like to design my own clothes and accessories."

He stretched out one leg from under the table and tilted his foot to the side. On his shoes were some writing in Hangul. Hand-painted onto the sides of them. Seonghwa admired the work for some time before finally looking back at Hongjoong. 

SH: "They are really beautiful. You have a unique style."

HJ: "Thank you. I also designed my own phone case!"

Hongjoong could feel the happiness within him. It was so nice to have someone listen and admire something you had put a lot of care and effort into. He held out his phone to Seonghwa who gently accepted the item with his right hand. On the case were two butterflies neatly painted in turquoise. The background was a simple dark blue, nearly black sky with a few white sprinkles for stars. 

SH: "Do you like the night?"

Seonghwa's admiration for Hongjoong's work was very apparent. Hongjoong couldn't help but smile proudly.

HJ: "Most butterflies go to sleep during the night. But the stars will always be beautiful. Sadly the light from the city obscures the stars most of the time." 

SH: "The butterflies may go to sleep, but this makes way for the moths."

Seonghwa handed the phone back to Hongjoong. He looked as if he was going to add something else. One short thought later he continued.

SH: "I can show you the stars. If you are interested of course."

Hongjoong stared intriguingly at Seonghwa. 

HJ: "You can really do that? But we would have to leave for a place outside the city. I don't think there's enough time. I have work tomorrow."

He let out a sigh of dismay. He had seen the stars before, but he did not have a lot of money and he had to work if he wanted to save up money to travel. 

SH: "It is not far from here. I do not think it will interfere with any plans you might have."

Seonghwa's voice had perked up at this conversation. His emotions were not easy to read as he did not show many expressions. During the short time Hongjoong had known him, Seonghwa had only shown his resting expression and soft smiles. His composure resembled royalty a lot. At this point Hongjoong was certain that he had met a significant person. Suspicions of him being an actor arose. Of course every muscle in his face was under control if he were an actor. 

SH: "Do I have something on my face?"

Hongjoong's mind jerked back into reality. He had been staring mindlessly at Seonghwa while deep in thought.

HJ: "Ah no! I'm sorry. I was thinking about something."

He laughed awkwardly feeling his cheeks heat up. Whilst watching Seonghwa pay for their drinks he couldn't help but notice how beautiful his hands were. They were not big but they were slender and elegant. One single ring adorned the middle finger of his right hand. Hongjoong got up before Seonghwa and headed for the exit. Seonghwa followed not far behind.

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ────

The sun had set not long ago. The sky was now deep orange to the west, purple above and deep blue to the east. Hongjoong was walking along the park road beside a man he had just met that same day. Why he had agreed to join Seonghwa for a walk in the middle of the night he did not know. But Seonghwa seemed genuine and Hongjoong disliked limiting himself because of distrust. The two of them stepped off the pavement and onto a path that would lead them into the depth of the park. 

HJ: "So... How will you be able to show me the stars? The park is isolated but we're still in the middle of a huge city."

SH: "Just wait."

Hongjoong was unsure if he had heard a smile in Seonghwa's voice or it was just his imagination. He discreetly searched the other's face for any clues of his intentions but did not learn anything. Had it been a bad idea to go through with this? There was still time to turn back if he wanted to. Hongjoong's doubt made the rhythm of his walking irregular for a moment but the moment was long enough for Seonghwa to notice. He halted and looked at Hongjoong.

SH: "It is alright. We are nearly there."

He smiled and turned his gaze from Hongjoong towards a smaller path that lead off the main path and into some overgrowth of trees and bushes. Hongjoong let Seonghwa take the lead down the path and followed behind. It wasn't long before the trees had blocked out all the city lights. 

HJ: "I can't see anything."

Hongjoong walked slowly and took small steps to avoid falling over when suddenly he felt a hand clasp around his left wrist. Upon instinct he tried to pull away. The hand held him firmly but not harshly. 

SH: "It is not far. I will lead you."

Hongjoong heard no concern in Seonghwa's voice.

HJ: " How can you see? And how can I trust you? We're in the middle of a dark park all alone. This feels very deceptive."

Before Seonghwa could reply they stepped out into a clearing. It was still dark, but it was bright enough for Hongjoong to make out the contour of a lake. Seonghwa let go of Hongjoong's wrist. 

SH: "We have arrived."

Hongjoong looked up at the sky but saw nothing but the crescent moon. 

SH: "Try looking down."

A smirk was apparent in his voice as he spoke. Hongjoong hesitantly approached the lakeside. He felt on edge with Seonghwa behind him but as long as he could hear that Seonghwa didn't move he felt fairly safe. As Hongjoong neared the waters edge he saw it. In the water were countless lights. He looked up at the sky then at the water and then back again. No stars were visible in the sky, yet the surface reflected a hemisphere full of stars. Hongjoong spun around to face Seonghwa expecting him to have moved. He hadn't. 

HJ: "How is this possible? How can I see the reflections of stars that aren't visible?"

His voice was filled with both awe and wonder. 

SH: "The lake is filled with magical creatures that light up the lake. They feast tonight and the fires of their large ovens can be seen as the brightest lights."

Hongjoong looked at Seonghwa with a look that told him to be serious. And for the first time since they had met, Seonghwa's composure faltered and he let out a giggle. 

SH: "I am sorry. I do not know why this lake reflects the stars although they cannot be seen in the sky. My best guess is that there is something in the water that allows it to reflect light in a certain way. Either that or there are actually some insects or bugs with luminescent bodies."

HJ: "The lights don't seem to move so it's probably the first option."

The two of them were quiet and Hongjoong turned back to the water to look at the lights. 

HJ: "Would you not want to see it too? Come join me."

He waved his hand in a motion that invited Seonghwa to join him but Seonghwa simply shook his head and stayed back.

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ────

Besides the moon, the sky was now completely dark. Seonghwa had agreed to walk Hongjoong to his exit of the park. 

HJ: "Thank you for showing me that. It was really beautiful. I had no idea that lake was even there."

SH: "The path is vey hard to find. I am almost certain that no one knows about it. I accidentally stumbled upon it when looking through the park one evening."

HJ: "What were you even looking for when we met. You were almost sitting in a flower bed."

SH: "Ah. I was primarily admiring the colourful flowers but I was also searching for something. I did not find anything tho."

They observed each other shortly before Seonghwa spoke again.

SH: "It is late. You should go home and get some sleep. I remember you said you have work tomorrow."

HJ: "Yeah. Sadly. Thank you for a nice day though."

He hesitated before proceeding.

HJ: "Do you think we could exchange numbers? I'd love to see you again."

SH: "I- Yes. I would love to see you again too. Actually. I think I will be around in the park quite often from now on. Come by and we might meet again."

Hongjoong noticed how Seonghwa avoided the question but he let it pass. He was probably not comfortable enough to share his number yet. They had just met that same day after all.

HJ: "Yes. I will definitely come by. I'll see you soon."

Both guys moved but neither knew what they wanted to do. They were not familiar enough for a hug but waving whilst standing face to face would be weird too. It was really awkward but Seonghwa eventually stepped back and bid the final goodbye. Hongjoong watched him walk off back into the park. And as Seonghwa walked away he could not help but notice how beautiful he looked as the moonlight lit up his tall figure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like what you see you can always pop by my IG:  
> @TheMoreYunho and say hi ^~^


	2. Vol 1: In the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Over the next passing days Hongjoong regularly returned to the spot at which he had met Seonghwa. He did his best to go there at different times. Every now and then he would even go there more than once during the same day. He was quite sure that Seonghwa had said he would be around often. Right? 

Over the next passing days Hongjoong regularly returned to the spot at which he had met Seonghwa. He did his best to go there at different times. Every now and then he would even go there more than once during the same day. He was quite sure that Seonghwa had said he would be around often. Right? If he was actually nearby they had not had any luck crossing paths. Hongjoong started heading home for the day. He did not like to admit that his heart sank every time he left the park without having met. 

It was currently the weekend and Hongjoong was walking through the park scouting for Seonghwa. It didn't seem like he had any luck today either. As he walked something suddenly felt familiar. Hongjoong stopped to look around. What was this feeling? He looked around the area but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Suddenly he realized it. Was this not where the path to the lake had been? Hongjoong stepped off the main path and started looking for the the smaller passage. He searched for quite a while but did not find anything. He was certain it had been right here. After some time he crouched and started searching through the foliage but there was simply no trace of any path. An uncomfortable and cold feeling suddenly seeped into him. He stood up and looked around. Two people had just passed Hongjoong. They looked like a couple. One was a woman and the other was a very tall man. She was holding on to his arm and from their style and fashion they looked quite rich. The woman had been turning her head away from him and something told Hongjoong that it had been in his direction that she had been looking. He shivered and decided to leave. This place no longer felt comfortable. 

Hongjoong stepped through the front door of his small flat. It was late summer and still warm outside. How could he feel this cold. Maybe he was about to fall ill. He went to the kitchen and made himself a hot cup of tea before bringing the tea and his laptop to his tiny couch. He brought his legs up under himself and sat crosslegged with a pillow in his lap, and the laptop on top of the pillow. Hongjoong opened the device, logged in and went straight to Maps. He searched for his city and started to zoom in on the park. His eyes scanned across the map looking for a clearing with a lake. It had been very dark when Seonghwa took him there and he was unsure how big or small the lake had been. He wasn't even sure of it's shape, though he doubted that it would be hard to find. Weirdly enough it was nowhere to be seen. Hongjoong couldn't believe it. It had to be there. One way or another. Maybe the lake was actually covered by treetops and it had been too dark to see back then. He sighed and put his laptop away. Maybe they hadn't updated the satellite photos or maybe the lake had been man made since the pictures were shot. 

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ────

Hongjoong sat at the piano playing one of his usual songs. Through the corner of his eye he watched the crowd as it moved about. The place wasn't very known but there were no empty seats left. People called it a hidden gem. It was dark outside and the room was filled with the scent of alcohol. Despite this there were no drunk people. They would be asked to leave so the bar could maintain a relaxed and safe environment for the customers. Hongjoong didn't dislike his job, but it was not well paid and even though he was free most of the day it was still tiring with a night shift. The melodies he played were so familiar that his mind slowly wandered off whilst still playing the correct notes. Seonghwa struck his mind. Who was he? And what was he doing at this very moment? Hongjoong wondered why he couldn't stop thinking about someone he barely even knew. But maybe it was fate. Maybe there was a reason why they had met. 

Hongjoong looked up, his eyes not really focusing on anything. He must be mad if he actually started to hallucinate about this stranger, but there he was. Seonghwa. Walking across the room towards the exit. Hongjoong blinked and did a double take. He was actually there. Hongjoong unhesitatingly got up and rushed towards the doors which the other had just passed through, not caring about abandoning the piano mid-song.

HJ: "Seonghwa?!"

He called out as soon as he stepped out onto the sidewalk. Seonghwa's figure disappeared down the street. Hongjoong couldn't figure out if he should follow him or not. His shift wasn't over yet. But he swiftly decided that Seonghwa was more important. He could always stay overtime later. On his way down the street he ran past a narrow alley squished between two buildings. He briefly caught a glimpse of something purple but did not think much of it.

The chase eventually lead Hongjoong back to the park. He slowed his pace and walked attentively through the tall iron gates. It felt much darker than before. He looked up but saw no moon. Had it been overcast today? He couldn't remember clearly. He took out his phone and switched on the flashlight. The light seemed weaker than usual, but not by a lot. All tracks of Seonghwa had been lost but Hongjoong had a strong feeling of where he might be. He followed the path down to where he had been earlier that same day and to his surprise he spotted the smaller passageway immediately. Strange. He swore it had not been there previously. He looked around but it was too dark to see much. Wasting no more time standing around he scurried down the small path and into the darkness. As he continued down the tunnel of trees, his light flickered and faded. This sent chills down his spine. But he kept going. He was determined to find Seonghwa. 

Having stumbled about in the dark for a while he finally stepped out of the darkness. The darkness was still intense but he noted that there was indeed lots of access to the sky. There was no way the lake couldn't be seen from a satellite or drone photo. He adverted his gaze from the sky laid it upon a figure sitting by the lake. It was Seonghwa. He was sitting with his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms resting on them. Hongjoong moved closer to the man by the lake. On the water surface the countless lights appeared as he got closer. The air felt tense and quiet. Unexpectedly and out of nowhere Seonghwa flinched and moved very suddenly. He stood up faster than Hongjoong had ever seen anyone get up. He turned around to face who had arrived. His legs were softly bent and his right arm hovered by his side as if ready to jump into action. The right leg was behind his left and it was so close to the water that it looked like it was about to slip into the lake at any given moment. Seonghwa's eyes were wide open as he looked at Hongjoong. After some time he finally relaxed and sighed deeply, his eyes closing along with the exhale.

SH: "... just you."

Seonghwa's voice was almost a whisper and the first part of his sentence was inaudible. 

HJ: "Are you alright? You seem on edge."

SH: "I apologise for that... I have had some trouble back at home. I did not expect to see you here."

His breathing was deep and slow. He did not make any eye contact with Hongjoong.

HJ: "I saw you at my workplace and followed you here."

SH: "You saw me where?"

HJ: "At the cafe-bar where I work. You don't remember?"

SH: "I have never been there."

Seonghwa looked straight at Hongjoong. An uneasy feeling settled between the two of them.

HJ: "You could come to my place for tonight. It's nearby and you said you had trouble back at your place."

Hongjoong started to walk over to Seonghwa but he didn't get very far before Seonghwa hastily moved away. Nearly sprang. With one swift but elegant movement he had now placed himself somewhere behind Hongjoong. 

SH: "Yes. Your place is alright." 

Hongjoong studied Seonghwa's face. His voice felt slightly strained. He was acting very oddly and seemed somewhat scared but at the same time scared was not the right word to describe his feeling. He was definitely worried about something though. Something he did not want to share. Hongjoong's trail of thought stopped when the other held out his hand for him to take. He took it and allowed Seonghwa to guide them back out through the darkness.

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

Hongjoong unlocked the door to his little home. Though Hongjoong wasn't one to feel insecure he still felt slightly embarrassed about bringing Seonghwa with him. He could only image how amazing Seonghwa's place might be. He probably even had a family. Why else would there be trouble back where he came from. Hongjoong refused to admit that it made him a little sad. 

HJ: "Welcome to my home. I live here. It's probably nothing special compared to what you're used to."

SH: "No. I like it. It seems... cosy? Large spaces are nice but there is a certain type of comfort about smaller spaces too."

HJ: "Hmmm. You're right. Please make yourself at home."

Hongjoong couldn't help but smile to himself secretly. Seonghwa always managed to make him feel better. This was only their second time meeting but he had definitely missed him. From the kitchen he observed Seonghwa who was now peacefully sitting in his small couch. He looked out of place like a lion in a pen. Hongjoong wondered.

HJ: "What does your place look like?"

Seonghwa shifted in the couch to face Hongjoong. 

SH: "How do I describe it. It is indeed grand as I imagine you have in mind."

They briefly made eye contact.

SH: "There are countless of rooms and halls with large windows and easy access to outdoor areas. In fact the largest of the halls is so big that you could probably fit a whole mansion within it. There are windows so large that you could easily fly a small plane through and into the hall. And at the very end of the hall is a mighty throne. Upon this throne the king shall sit."

Hongjoong who had been preparing some drinks for them came over and set them on the table before the couch.

HJ: "Are you gonna do this to me every time I ask you about something?"

Seonghwa reached for his drink and cupped it in his hands, enjoying the warmth that seeped out from it. He then rested hands in his lap. 

SH: "Absolutely."

HJ: "You're enjoying yourself too much with this."

Hongjoong sighed jokingly and shook his head. Seonghwa was very mysterious but it was part of his charm. Though he was curious he decided not to push Seonghwa for an actual explanation. Instead he sat on the floor beside the table. 

The two of them small talked for some time before one of them finally checked the time. It was past midnight and they both agreed it was bedtime. Hongjoong attempted to get Seonghwa to take his bed that night but Seonghwa insisted on taking the couch. Hongjoong tried to convince him by saying that Seonghwa would be too tall for it but he could not move him at all. 

It was late and the apartment was quiet. A weak light in the kitchen illuminated the small living room the best it could. Seonghwa sat quietly deep in his own thoughts. His eyes scanned the space around him as if taking in where he was. He eventually got up and walked over to the window. They were probably about 4 stories up. He glanced up and down the street a few times and was about turn back when a glow appeared down below. He hurriedly went to check what it was, but it was gone before he managed to see anything. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like what you see you can always pop by my IG:  
> @TheMoreYunho and say hi ^~^


	3. Vol 1: Clarity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
> Rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains in Hongjoong's bedroom. It was very quiet and he could hear every little sound such as the little chirps from birds outside his window. He remained in bed for another few minutes before eventually getting up to pick his outfit for the day. It consisted of a pair of jeans and a dark t-shirt with a short sleeved white shirt over it, tucked into the jeans. When he felt ready he stepped out of his bedroom and into the main room where he found Seonghwa curled up on the small settee.  
> 

Rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains in Hongjoong's bedroom. It was very quiet and he could hear every little sound such as the little chirps from birds outside his window. He remained in bed for another few minutes before eventually getting up to pick his outfit for the day. It consisted of a pair of jeans and a dark t-shirt with a short sleeved white shirt over it, tucked into the jeans. When he felt ready he stepped out of his bedroom and into the main room where he found Seonghwa curled up on the small settee. His body was facing inwards towards the wall and the back of the furniture. Hongjoong shivered at the thought of sleeping in a foreign place with his back exposed. He decided to let Seonghwa sleep. It was probably exhausting to have family struggles. 

Whilst Hongjoong prepared some breakfast the other stirred somewhere behind him. Hongjoong turned around. 

HJ: "Good morning Seonghwa."

SH: "Mmm... morning."

Seonghwa sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes. His voice was deep and husky, still affected by sleep. 

HJ: "Did you sleep well?"

SH: "I think so."

Seonghwa spoke so softly he nearly mumbled. 

HJ: "You're not a morning person I presume."

SH: "Not really." 

He squinted at the sunlight before looking at Hongjoong and thereby turning his back to the window. 

SH: "Do you want help with the breakfast?"

HJ: "I think I'm alright. Thank you for offering though."

Hongjoong smiled to signify he didn't need any help, but Seonghwa got up and came over beside him. 

SH: "I want to help."

HJ: "Oh. A- alright."

He stepped aside to make way for Seonghwa who started to work on the food. His hands moved quickly and with precision. It was clear that he knew what he was doing. Not long after a beautiful breakfast was ready for the two of them. 

HJ: "Wow. That's amazing. Do you cook often?"

SH: "Not really. But I certainly enjoy it."

Seonghwa smiled satisfied with himself before waving his hand for Hongjoong to go take a seat. As the pair was enjoying their breakfast Hongjoong was checking his phone for events happening that day. He was hoping that they could spend some time together if Seonghwa was free. An outdoor event caught his eye and he looked up from his phone. 

HJ: "There's an event today. Not far from here. If you're free we could maybe go there together?"

SH: "I have no plans today."

Seonghwa looked curiously at Hongjoong and Hongjoong turned his phone so both of them could have a look.

HJ: "It looks like the event is for a big game or series. You always talk about fantasy-like things. This might be something you'd enjoy."

SH: "Hehe, may be."

He smiled. 

SH: "We can go there. It seems interesting."

They finished their breakfast and got ready to leave for the event. 

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

Today was yet another warm day. The sun was out and most of the sky was clear. A happy buzz came from the crowd of people who had shown up to attend the event. Hongjoong and Seonghwa walked between the stands of merchandise. It resembled some of the larger conventions like comic-con but on a smaller scale. Some attendees were cosplaying and there were small stages where people could perform. Different types of performances happened there such as acting, singing or dancing. There were comic books and game cartridges for sale. Even gaming consoles. An item caught Hongjoong's eyes. 

HJ: "Look at this!"

Seonghwa halted and looked in Hongjoong's direction. He was holding a small plush dragon with large eyes. 

HJ: "It looks like you."

Hongjoong giggled and held the toy up beside Seonghwa who gave it the side-eye. 

SH: "It looks... cute."

HJ: "Yes!"

SH: "I am cute?"

HJ: "Certainly! And I'm getting this for you." 

He left Seonghwa no time to protest and within seconds he was now standing with the little dragon in his hands.

SH: "I am scarier than this."

HJ: "Did you say something?"

SH: "No!"

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

The two of them continued through the booths and stalls looking at what interesting stuff they might find, when someone bumped into Hongjoong's left shoulder. He stopped and was about to apologize for the collision when he saw who it was. It was the woman from yesterday. Now that he saw her up close he could see how perfect her face was. All her proportions were flawlessly shaped and aligned. Her skin was crystal clear, and it almost looked like she was shining. Her blonde, nearly golden hair was tied up in a high bun with loose strands hanging down. Hongjoong did not believe it was her natural hair color. She glared at him with unkind eyes, huffed and disappeared into the crowd before Hongjoong managed to utter a single word. 

SH: "Are you alright? Did something happen?"

He turned to see Seonghwa walking towards him. Seemed like he had kept going without realizing that Hongjoong had stopped. 

HJ: "I'm alright. It's nothing."

Seonghwa studied Hongjoong's face.

HJ: "Trust me."

Hongjoong smiled and started walking again. Seonghwa scanned the people around them before following Hongjoong. They didn't get very far before a deep voice called out from behind them. 

???: "Hey you. Shortie."

HJ: "I'm sorry what?!"

Hongjoong and Seonghwa turned around to see a tall man walking up to them and the woman who had just bumped into Hongjoong right behind him. The man was fairly slim and he had long, slick black hair hanging loosely down his back. His clothing was casual but the brands were clearly screaming expensive. He looked like a type of guy who would look great in a top hat and smoking. 

SH: "Can we help you with anything."

The man's eyes moved from Hongjoong to Seonghwa. 

Man: "Well well. Who do we have here. The young prince is eloping with a human. Hmmm?" 

SH: "I am not going anywhere. And I am merely here because I might not get the chance in the future."

Man: "But you've obviously managed to get yourself a boyfriend during your stay here."

SH: "We are not together."

Man: "Oh really? It won't be long before you abandon your duties and settle down here. Am I right?"

SH: "Shut your mouth, angel."

Seonghwa's teeth were gritted and he spoke very quietly. It was obvious he was feeling pressured by the situation. 

HJ: "What is going on? Seonghwa?!"

SH: "Not now Hongjoong."

His voice briefly softened as he responded to Hongjoong. 

Man: "If you have no intention of staying here, will you be taking the boy with you?"

Seonghwa inhaled sharply out of shock. 

SH: "Are you crazy? Of course not. Just who do you think I am?"

The tall man thought for a moment. 

Man: "You are in our way and you're a disgrace to this world. No one wants you here."

The woman suddenly spoke. 

Woman: "Can we get on with what we're here for? I'm getting bored."

Man: "Have patience."

The man glared at Seonghwa and then at Hongjoong. 

Man: "I know that you will not step down unless you really have to. That's why we will MAKE you step down."

As he finished his sentence Hongjoong's eyes fell upon the man's arm. From under his semi-long sleeve a chain of glowing runes appeared on his skin. They spread down his arm, past his wrist and onto the back of his hand. When they reached his hand they flashed once and he lunged out towards Hongjoong, the runes glowing even brighter as he came closer. Hongjoong was nearly frozen out of disbelief but he had enough sanity to try to protect himself from the incoming blow. 

He awaited the pain but it never came. He looked up and saw Seonghwa half covering him. He stood in a way that he held Hongjoong close as if in a hug. His left arm was around Hongjoong's back, the palm of his hand resting softly against the shoulder on the far side. His other arm was raised to shield them from the attacker. A sophisticated pattern had appeared on Seonghwa's raised hand and in reverse of the assaulter, his markings were black like darkness and they spread from his hand and upwards along the arm. The attacker's arm was still raised in attack but it was as if there was a barrier between Seonghwa's arm and his own. Eventually he lowered his arm, but the runes remained ablaze.

SH: "I suggest you leave and take the girl with you. If you insist on having this discussion with me I suggest we take it to somewhere far from here." 

Seonghwa's voice was icy cold and his stare was harsh, almost threatening. There were no traces left of the gentle persona Seonghwa had always had. 

Man: "Are you saying this out of your own personal reasons or are you saying it to protect your little lover?"

A low growl sounded deep from the back Seonghwa's throat. It was obvious that this man knew Seonghwa and exactly what would infuriate him the most. 

Hongjoong was terrified and the other felt it. Seonghwa glanced down at Hongjoong briefly and then back at the strangers. Then he thrusted his palm forwards towards the man's face and when his hand got close enough, the dark patterns flashed and the man covered his eyes whilest crying out in pain. The woman rushed to his aid shrieking frantically. Hongjoong was given no time to react or even process what had just transpired because Seonghwa twisted, let go of Hongjoong, and instead grabbed Hongjoong's left wrist with his right hand. 

HJ: "Seonghwa!"

SH: "Not now. We need to get away from the crowd. We have already attracted enough attention."

They ran out of the event zone and down a street. From there they took a turn onto a smaller street. A small alley appeared and Seonghwa pulled the two of them into it. Having rounded the corner of a large trash container he then pushed Hongjoong up against the wall and then himself, making sure to position himself in a way that prevented Hongjoong from moving. Seconds later darkness swiveled around them and covered them up. A flash of light sped through the alley entering through one end and disappearing out of the other.

The two guys stood still breathing heavily. Neither spoke. It felt like they stayed like this for eons. It was intensely quiet but Hongjoong was nearly deaf from the sound of his heart beating so hard he could feel it in his head. Eventually, the shadows faded and Seonghwa stepped away from Hongjoong and the wall. His eyes showed both pain and guilt. Hongjoong returned his gaze with fear and disbelief. 

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

HJ: "You've got some explaining to do. A lot."

The sun was setting and they were back in the park they'd met in. Seonghwa was sitting on a bench with his head in his hands. 

SH: "There is no logical way to explain this."

HJ: "Exactly. That's why I require you to tell me everything."

Seonghwa looked up at Hongjoong. 

SH: "That makes no sense at all."

HJ: "You know what I mean."

SH: "I-"

HJ: "I am not joking around this time. You and I. If we have to keep seeing each other I deserve to know what's going on."

Seonghwa opened his mouth to speak.

HJ: "And don't tell me you don't have to meet me again because I know that's not what you want."

Hongjoong was met with a defeated expression from Seonghwa. 

SH: "You are right about that. But how am I supposed to tell you."

HJ: "You start from the beginning."

SH: "I wish it were that easy."

HJ: "It's not?"

Hongjoong scowled. His patience was running out. 

SH: "Please trust me when I say this is not information anyone can go about with. Letting you in on this is perilous and I worry it might cost me largely in the future."

HJ: "Cost you what? Your job?"

Seonghwa stared dumbfounded at Hongjoong, and from his expression it hit Hongjoong that this might actually be more serious than he had thought at first. 

SH: "Your life."

Seonghwa returned his hands to his face. Hongjoong had never seen this many emotions on Seonghwa before. Something quivered within Hongjoong and he went to sit on the bench beside the other. He spoke slowly and with care. 

HJ: "I care about you. A lot. And... you seem to be involved with something very dangerous. But. You're my friend. And I really like you. I am willing to carry this information if i can somehow help you."

There was no response, but he knew Seonghwa was listening.

HJ: "I truly mean what I'm saying right now. You're worth it for for me."

There was a pause of silence before Seonghwa got up. He stood in front of the bench and held out his right hand. 

SH: "If you truly believe you are ready for this, then please join me to the lake. I will show you there."

Hongjoong took his hand. Not without fear, but with definite determination. 

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

They stepped back out and into the clearing. Seonghwa let go of Hongjoong's hand halfway to the lake implying that he should stay there. While Hongjoong stayed back, Seonghwa proceeded to stand by the water. 

SH: "When you feel ready... come stand beside me."

His voice sounded beaten and weary. Hongjoong was aware that something important was about to go down, but he hadn't the vaguest idea of what it could be. So he stepped forwards slowly making his way to stand beside Seonghwa. And as he finally reached his side, he saw it. On the water surface was the reflection of a large black dragon, it's smokey grey eyes looking straight at Hongjoong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like what you see you can always pop by my IG:  
> @TheMoreYunho and say hi ^~^


	4. Vol 1: The Demon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   
> The reflection turned it's head to face Hongjoong's reflection, and Hongjoong inhaled sharply because he knew what this meant. He looked to his left and his eyes met Seonghwa who was now looking at him. 
> 
> HJ: "That's you...?"
> 
> His voice was nearly a whisper.
> 
> SH: "It is."
> 
> HJ: "You're a ______."  
> 

The dragon in the water held the eye contact unwaveringly. Hongjoong was mesmerised by what he saw. It had a slender and elegant swan-like neck with two long horns protruding from it's head. The scales were black with a tint of dark green. At the base of it's neck was a scaleless spot. In this spot was a green crystal, infused in the dragon's body. The crystal emitted a green glow, and this glow pulsated like the beating of a heart. To the dragon's left side, next to the crystal, was a thick plume of black feathers and like the scales, these feathers had a green tint. Though the rest of the dragon wasn't visible one singular large wing was apparent to the dragon's left. 

The reflection of the dragon turned it's head to face Hongjoong's reflection, and Hongjoong inhaled sharply because he knew what this meant. He looked to his left and his eyes met Seonghwa who was now looking at him. 

HJ: "That's you...?"

His voice was nearly a whisper.

SH: "It is."

HJ: "You're a dragon."

SH: "I am actually a demon. A demon of the underworld."

HJ: "So that's why you said you were scarier than the little dragon I bought for you."

Hongjoong spoke with a slight tremble in his voice. 

SH: "I- I did not think you heard me."

Seonghwa smiled in attempt to lighten the mood. 

SH: "Are you scared of me?"

Hongjoong thought for a moment.

HJ: "No. But I definitely didn't expect this."

There was a short silence between the two.

HJ: "This lake. It shows your true form?"

SH: "Indeed." 

HJ: "Do you have a connection to the stars?"

SH: "Actually what you see isn't a reflection, but more like a vision that has been created to prevent anyone from looking into my world."

HJ: "I don't understand."

SH: "Let me show you."

Seonghwa bent down by the water and placed his right hand on the surface of the water. In the act of doing so Hongjoong observed his reflection. Talon-like claws moved along with Seonghwa's hand until they met at the surface where they sent ripples through the water in a circular formation. The dark patterns reappeared on Seonghwa's arm and suddenly some of the ripples in the water turned dark. More and more darkened until eventually the whole lake was covered with darkness. As Seonghwa removed his hand from the water it became fully transparent as if there were no water there. Hongjoong looked down at a scene that resembled the view from a plane. It was as if he stood on a cloud looking down through a gap at the world below. In fact, this was exactly what he was doing. 

HJ: "This is the underworld?"

Seonghwa nodded.

SH: "Once you remove the image that covers the lake you can look straight down into the underworld."

HJ: "Woah..."

SH: "Far out in that direction lies the heart of my territory. The place you would call a home."

Seonghwa pointed. 

HJ: "So your family is out there? Are they not worried about you? You're in a whole different world than them!"

SH: "No need to worry. Everyone in the underworld knows about these external worlds. And only my younger brother would be concerned about me."

HJ: "You have a younger brother? You never told me."

SH: "Haaah. There is so much I have never told you. I am sorry for that. Keeping this secret was the utmost priority. But those damn angels gave it away."

He sighed.

SH: "So careless. As always."

HJ: "You mentioned angels back then too. At the event."

SH: "I did."

HJ: "Those two. That woman and that man. They were angels? But aren't angels supposed to be good?"

Seonghwa waved his hand over the lake in a wide motion. The dark patterns on his arm reappeared briefly, the transparency of the lake faded and the stars and their reflections returned to the surface. 

SH: "Their behavior is very complex. And like humans, not all angels are like those two. But quite a lot of angels act superior because their name has always been worshipped as such a positive and holy symbols. A lot of angels believe that spreading the light will make everyone happy. Sadly, if this were to happen not only would this be a catastrophe for the creatures of the dark, but the imbalance caused by it would also put the worlds into deep chaos."

Hongjoong felt overwhelmed. Not only by the topic but also because he had never heard Seonghwa speak this many words over such a short period of time. He always used to speak in very short and mostly formal sentences. This tsunami of words was definitely a brand new experience, though Hongjoong actually kind of enjoyed listening to Seonghwa talk like this. 

HJ: "The angels from the market seemed to know you? And wait. Did they not call you prince?"

Seonghwa looked like he had been taken off-guard. 

SH: "We do not know each other personally, but my name is definitely a name that most from the overworld have heard of."

HJ: "You avoided my question."

SH: "I am one of the more powerful demons of the underworld. My abilities with the darkness is threatening to them. They would love to see me gone."

HJ: "But why? You guys aren't attacking them."

SH: "We are not, but to the angels it is threatening that we even exist. Most creatures of the dark enjoy lying low, as unnoticed as possible."

HJ: "That's why they attacked us?"

SH: "The relationship between demons and angels has been heating up recently. The past centuries have been getting worse than ever."

HJ: "Wait. Centuries?"

A hint of nervousness struck Seonghwa.

SH: "Uh- Yes."

Hongjoong looked up at Seonghwa who eyed him knowingly. 

HJ: "And you say it's something recent?"

Seonghwa turned all of his body towards Hongjoong and Hongjoong's eyes followed the dragon who was moving in sync with Seonghwa on the water surface. 

SH: "I have indeed existed for quite some time."

HJ: "Do you ever die?"

SH: "Not without cause."

HS: "That's so weird to think about. I really thought I had just met a handsome guy who was about the same age as me. Guess I was wrong. How old are you really?"

SH: "A few thousand years probably. This is still pretty young for our type of demon." 

Hongjoong was quiet while he processed the information. 

HJ: "What's with this thing going on between you and the angels then?"

Seonghwa looked straight into Hongjoong's eyes with a serious stare. 

SH: "You must not let anyone know about this. I am only telling you because I trust you and you deserve to know."

Hongjoong nodded. 

SH: "The throne back in the underworld is empty. The angels not only seek a way to claim it but also a way to push back or control the darkness. This darkness means us, the creatures of the dark. We are weaker as a kingdom as long as we have no leader. The struggles, I mentioned I had back home, were of this reason. The clock is ticking and we are running low on time. We need a leader, and we need one soon."

HJ: "And you're deeply involved in this."

SH: "I am. I have been coming to this world often. Not only to keep an eye on the angels but also to relieve myself of the situation back home."

Hongjoong thought for a moment before he responded. 

HJ: "I hope I've been able to give you a nice time while you've been here."

SH: "You have. And this reminds me. You need to get back home and I have dozens of duties to take care of."

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

The two of them were back on the street where Hongjoong's apartment was. They stood outside the small main entrance to the building under the flare of a street lamp. 

HJ: "We will meet again right?"

SH: "I can not guarantee anything."

HJ: "I don't want to loose you."

SH: "And I do not want to loose you either. Hence why I think it will be best if we stay away from each other. Your safety is very important to me. The angels are ruthless and will do anything to hurt me. If they realize how important you are to me they will not hesitate to target you. You must not try to get involved in this. It is far too dangerous."

HJ: "But I-"

SH: "No. Please follow my words. I refuse to let them harm you."

Seonghwa reached out with his right hand and pulled Hongjoong in for a tight hug. Hongjoong returned it miserably. 

SH: "Take care. Hongjoong."

He let go and made eye contact to comfort Hongjoong. Then he stepped backwards towards the border of the light. As he stepped out of the light and into the darkness he became transparent. A slight shimmer in the air gave away his presence. Then a gust of wind hit Hongjoong and then the shimmer was gone. He was left standing all alone on the street looking at where Seonghwa had disappeared. Was this the end?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like what you see you can always pop by my IG:  
> @TheMoreYunho and say hi ^~^


	5. Vol 1: Purple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The usual summer birds were gone now. Probably to the south. The butterflies which he loved so much were gone ages ago, and the pretty flowers were no longer there either. The flowerbeds lay empty and desolate awaiting the next batch of seeds. But those seeds would not be planted anytime soon. Winter lay not far ahead. Though it wasn't cold yet, the sun lay low and the light did not give off any warmth. 

It was yet another sunny day and Hongjoong was back on his usual bench in the park. The weather was getting cooler and the days shorter. It had been a few weeks since he had last seen Seonghwa. He came to the park secretly hoping that Seonghwa would show up one day. But he never did. 

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

The leaves were loosing their green sheen taking on different shades of red and yellow. The sun's rays were weaker and summer clothes had now been replaced with warmer autumn fits. Hongjoong still visited the park regularly though at this point it was out of habit rather than the hope of meeting Seonghwa. 

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

Nothing out of the ordinary. Just Hongjoong sitting on the same bench for the millionth day in a row. The usual summer birds were gone now. Probably to the south. The butterflies which he loved so much were gone ages ago, and the pretty flowers were no longer there either. The flowerbeds lay empty and desolate awaiting the next batch of seeds. But those seeds would not be planted anytime soon. Winter lay not far ahead. Though it wasn't cold yet, the sun lay low and the light did not give off any warmth. 

Hongjoong decided he had been at the park long enough. He got up and readied himself to return home when he saw it. A small trail leading off the main path and into the bushes. His breath hitched. Could it be? He looked around once before he lowered his head and stepped down the path. 

To his surprise he did not have any trouble finding his way through the tunnel and he stepped out and into the clearing. He saw the lake and it's perfectly smooth surface. The surface which he knew was nothing but an illusion. Hongjoong wished more than anything that he could pop through to the other side and say hi, but he knew not to mess with it. The underworld sounded scary though if there were more people as great as Seonghwa it really didn't sound like a bad place at all. 

Hongjoong sat down in the overgrown grass and stared at the lake. He stayed like this until the sun was nearly down. It wasn't late yet but he decided it was best to leave before dark. Who knows if he would be able to find his way out once daylight was gone. He looked at the lake once more before finally taking his leave.

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

Winter was right around the corner. The trees had shed most of their colorful outfits and stood naked, shivering in the chilly wind. Hongjoong was on his way to his bench that had practically become his second home. To his astonishment he found someone else sitting there already. It was a man fully clad in white and he seemed not much taller than Hongjoong. The sun's weak rays flickered in a pair of earrings the stranger wore. His features were sharp and well defined. But most notably was his purple hair. 

As Hongjoong neared the bench the other looked up and when he realized that Hongjoong wanted to sit he got up, did a small bow as greeting and then sat back down leaving space for Hongjoong. There was a gap between them and it was obvious that it was Hongjoong who had made it since he sat all the way to one side. Was it bad to leave such a gap? Was this awkward? Did it even matter. They didn't know each other after all. 

???: "Hello."

Hongjoong looked to the guy beside him. 

HJ: "Hi?"

???: "You come here often."

HJ: "Yeah."

???: "You seem down."

HJ: "I'm alright."

???: "I could invite you for a drink or some food. Might that cheer you up a little?"

HJ: "I don't think so."

???: "Give it a shot. What's the worst that can happen?"

Hongjoong looked at the other guy. His smile was wide and his voice very loud, but his tone of voice was bright and cheerful. Was it worth a try? He sighed and gave in. 

HJ: "Alright then."

???: "Alright! It's on me then." 

The stranger stood up and his smile was so bright it was almost a grin. 

???: "I know a place."

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

Hongjoong and the purple haired stranger had found a seat at the very back of a small restaurant. Although the location was nothing like that other time, he felt sad because it reminded him of how he had met Seonghwa only a few months ago. 

???: "Heartbreak?"

HJ: "Huh?"

???: "Did someone break your heart?"

HJ: "It was for the best."

???: "They were the one who left you?"

HJ: "Yes."

???: "So they must be the one who think that it's for the best too."

HJ: "Yes?"

???: "But do you agree it's for the best?"

Hongjoong thought for a moment. 

HJ: "He didn't leave me any time to object."

???: "Are you able to tell him how you feel?"

HJ: "No. Sadly."

???: "So he just left you?"

HJ: "Practically."

???: "Is that someone worth feeling hurt about?"

HJ: "His reason for leaving was good. And he left me for my own safety. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest people I've ever met."

???: "I see. At least you seem to have had a great time with him."

HJ: "It wasn't long but I definitely enjoyed the time we spent together."

Hongjoong smiled to himself as he thought about it. The purple haired man observed him intriguingly but did not question him further. 

They small talked for some time about random things and eventually Hongjoong had to leave. When they were outside on the street the stranger stopped Hongjoong as he was about to walk away. 

???: "You wanna meet again? I quite like you."

HJ: "Uh."

???: "What's your number?"

Hongjoong padded his pockets and looked at the other with faked dismay. 

HJ: "I must've left my phone at home. I don't know my number by heart."

???: "I see. What a shame. You seem to be hanging around the park often. Maybe I'll see you there one day."

HJ: "Yes. Maybe. Take care."

Hongjoong waved the other a swift goodbye and left. 

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

The stranger with purple hair. Though Hongjoong didn't even know his name he kept appearing in Hongjoong's thoughts. He was strange and their encounter reminded him significantly of his first meeting with Seonghwa. Hongjoong kept returning to the park daily but he avoided the bench. The path to the lake was present more often than ever and though Hongjoong enjoyed sitting by the lake, it also worried him. What if something had happened to Seonghwa. 

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

Hongjoong was walking down the the dark path towards the lake. He moved mindlessly but without faltering. He had been there so many times that finding his way through the darkness was no longer a problem. As he stepped out of the darkness he was met by a sight he did not expect. By the water stood a tall and slender figure. Seonghwa's posture was full of authority as always but his demeanor was weak, and even if Hongjoong couldn't see him properly he could still sense it. Neither of them moved and Hongjoong dared not say anything out of fear that Seonghwa would disappear once again. 

SH: "I know you are there."

Seonghwa spoke softly, barely loud enough for Hongjoong to hear. His voice was soft as always but Hongjoong could hear the sorrow that painted it. 

SH: "I know it has been rough. It has not been easy for me as well. Thankfully it seems the angels have not approached you."

HJ: "How's the situation between you guys?"

SH: "Worse than ever. If the situation intensifies further I may have to retort to a final option which I have been avoiding with all my might."

Hongjoong had walked up to Seonghwa standing almost right behind him. 

HJ: "If doing whatever it is resolves the tension, would it not be a good plan? Then we can maybe hang out again."

Hongjoong was looking at the ground but from the movement of their feet he saw Seonghwa turn to face him. 

SH: "If only it were that easy. I would have put an end to all this if not for the consequences."

Their eyes met. 

SH: "I will never be able to return to this world if I choose this option."

The spoken words vibrated painfully in the air. 

SH: "I will do my best to avoid this outcome but I can not promise anything."

Seonghwa stepped backwards towards the lake. 

SH: "I'm sorry."

Once those final words left him he turned and dove head first into the lake with an elegant take-off. The impact did not disturb the water in any way. Only a slight ripple gave away that Seonghwa had only just jumped in. Once again Hongjoong stood all alone looking at where Seonghwa had disappeared. 

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

On his way home Hongjoong thought about what Seonghwa had told him. It had been really nice to see him again even though it wasn't for long. But he was scared. If this conflict wasn't resolved soon he might actually loose Seonghwa forever. He despised that thought more than anything else. Was there really nothing he could do to help. Probably not. He was just some random human after all. Seonghwa had lived for thousands of years, he was a demon, and according to himself he was both powerful and significant. Hongjoong had to trust him. If anyone could stop this it would be Seonghwa. It had to be... but what if Seonghwa decided to do whatever it was that prevented him from coming to Hongjoong's world. What if the reason was that Hongjoong wasn't important enough. He probably wasn't. With the length of Seonghwa's life span, of course he had someone else already. Why wouldn't he. 

Hongjoong felt really hurt and he knew that his own overthinking only made it worse. He was tired and just wanted to get home and sleep. He was on his street when he nearly bumped into someone. That someone turned out to be a certain mr. Purple hair from a few days ago. And just like last time he was in all white. 

???: "Oh hi. We meet again."

HJ: "Yup. What are you doing here? And at this time too."

???: "Just out for a little night wander. Thought I could shed some light maybe."

Hongjoong raised an eyebrow because what the other had just said really didn't make much sense at all. 

HJ: "Okay...?"

???: "You look troubled. Need to get anything off your mind? I'm willing to hear you out.""

Hongjoong thought for some time. This could be a good chance for him to forget about Seonghwa and maybe get to know someone else. If Seonghwa did choose that certain option that would prevent him from seeing Hongjoong again, maybe it was good to have someone else instead. But Hongjoong decided he wasn't ready to let go yet. And Seonghwa did say that he was doing his best to avoid that outcome.

???: "You can come to my place. I'll help you forget."

Hongjoong looked at the guy with purple hair. His eyes were a mix between silver and lavender. Something felt off and there was a vibe that Hongjoong did not like at all. 

HJ: "I think I'm alright."

???: "I won't hurt you. I'm just a normal human."

He flashed the bright smile from before but Hongjoong knew what was going on. He needed to get away. 

HJ: "I'm not in the mood. Now let me pass. I want to get home."

And without waiting for a reply he pushed past the other and continued down the street. He took a little detour before coming back to his own street. The air felt cold and tense. Hongjoong looked around once before stepping inside his building.

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

It was late night and Hongjoong was fast asleep. A light appeared in the street below outside his window. It flickered a bit before rising up to the same level as his window. Through his eyelids Hongjoong saw the light but his brain wasn't awake yet. The light seeped through his window and into his room followed by two other lights. One slightly golden the other slightly blue. It was only after the sound of voices that Hongjoong started to wake up. He was about to say something but before he could utter a single word the whole room flashed brightly. Hongjoong was now fully awake. Both from shock and from fear. What was going on? He couldn't see a thing after that flash of light. He swung his arms around trying to feel for something. Anything. The blindness was making him nauseous and his balance faltered. His vision was just about to return when a sharp pain hit him at the back of his head and the last thing he saw before he was knocked out was a flash of purple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like what you see you can always pop by my IG:  
> @TheMoreYunho and say hi


	6. Vol 1: Feathers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Hongjoong slowly regained consciousness he felt more and more awake. Besides a faint throbbing at the back of his head he felt mostly fine. He opened his eyes only to realize he was blindfolded... and seemingly also tied up by his wrists behind his back. What was going on?

Voices. Distant and muffled. But still present. 

?-A: "...do with him?"

?-B: "Anything. Just don't let him come to any harm." 

?-C: "Then why did we have to capture him? Are we not supposed to harm him?"

As Hongjoong slowly regained consciousness the voices became clearer. 

?-B: "There must be a way to damage our little prince without causing this man any harm."

?-C: "You're getting too soft for this mission. How about you lean back and let us do the job for you?"

One voice was a male's and the other was a female's. She spoke with a mischievous undertone but also with purpose. 

?-B: "I am not soft. And we will get the job done whether or not we harm him."

Hongjoong heard the woman make a dismissive sound before light footsteps came towards him. 

?-B: "Stay away from him. I gave you no orders to act."

?-A: "Give it up. He's the boss. We gotta heed his words."

?-C: "But this is booooooring. Can't we just get try rid of him. I bet his Prince Charming will come to his aid if we did so." 

?-A: "That seems likely to happen, but our orders are not to cause any harm, therefore we will not."

No one spoke for a while and Hongjoong felt more and more awake as time passed. Besides a faint throbbing at the back of his head he felt mostly fine. He opened his eyes only to realize he was blindfolded... and seemingly also tied up by his wrists behind his back. What was going on?

Footsteps approached him.

?-B: "It seems you've finally awoken."

Hands reached around Hongjoong's head and he felt the blindfold be undone. He blinked a few times and saw the guy with purple hair, crouching right in front of him. He was in a spacious room. It looked like an office. The room was dimly lit but he saw no light sources. The man and the woman who had attacked Seonghwa and Hongjoong at the event stood to the side. The man half standing half sitting on a table, and the woman stood right up against him holding on to his arm. 

Purple: "How are you feelin'? Sorry for the inconvenience. I told them not to hit you too hard."

HJ: "Sorry for the inconvenience?! You knocked me out cold and abducted me!"

Woman: "Shut him up. He's loud. And it's annoying."

The two men were clearly tired of her endless complaints. Neither of them bothered to answer her. 

Purple: "We did what had to be done."

HJ: "You had to kidnap me? What do you want? Money? I barely have any."

Man: "We care not about money. What we care about is your little lover."

HJ: "Who-"

Purple: "They are not together. Did they not tell you already?"

Man: "They did but it seems to me they've grown quite fond of each other."

The tall man stood up and started to wander aimlessly through the room.

Man: "If you're really this interested in the human, why not be direct and say it?"

The purple haired guy stood up turning his back to Hongjoong to face the other man, clearly annoyed. 

Purple: "Firstly, I have no more interest in him than you guys have. Our cause is the same. Secondly, you are in no position to assume how I feel about others. Understood?"

He put extra force on the last word.

Man: "Yes siiiir."

The man dragged out his words making sure the others knew he didn't care. The woman just snickered at him from her place by the table.

Purple: "Okay, Hongjoong. I need you to tell me, how much do you know about Seonghwa?"

They were back to their previous positions. The guy with purple hair squatting in front of Hongjoong practically piercing him with his stare. Hongjoong returned the stare. Seonghwa had entrusted him with sensitive information. No way was he going to tell anyone about it.

Purple: "Unwilling to talk I see."

The other reached up and grabbed Hongjoong's jaw tightly. 

Purple: "I suggest you tell me or I won't be so nice."

Hongjoong just scrunched his nose keeping his mouth shut. A sharp pain shot through his body. It lasted less than a second but he felt it very clearly. He tried to squirm his way out of the grip holding him but the hand only tightened as he tried to move. 

Purple: "Listen. I don't want to hurt you. When I said I quite liked you I really meant it. Hurting you is the last thing I want to do. But if it comes to it I must. That is the order I have been given. For your own sake. Cooperate with me."

HJ: "I will not betray Seonghwa. He trusted me."

Woman: "Forget about that old demon. He ditched you. Accept it. Move on. You can even come join us. Oh my! How about that? You could take revenge on him."

The woman seemed very fond of the idea she had just come up with. 

Woman: "Come. Join the light."

She lit up. The shine seemed to come from within her and it kept growing stronger. In the dark room seemed extra bright and eventually Hongjoong had to advert his eyes. The light did not seem to bother the other two men though.

The hand on Hongjoong let go and through the slits of his closed eyes he saw the woman coming towards him. She had nearly reached him when a familiar voice spoke.

???: "I suggest you step away from him. Now."

The light faded and the room was back in the dimly lit state. A shadow, abnormally dark, moved across the ceiling. It halted by the wall Hongjoong was resting up against. The shadow then raised itself off the wall and took shape. 

Seonghwa stood tall and powerfully as always. Unlike all their previous meetings, Seonghwa wore an all black outfit today. Black shoes, black trousers and a black sleeveless vest. The vest had a high neck and fashioned with a hole at the top of his chest. A short black cape was draped over his shoulders. 

Man: "Looking royal today, are we, little prince?"

Woman: "You've come just at the right time! We were just about to claim this little human for the light."

The woman clasped her hands together with a bright smile. She shone brightly once again, but this time she lunged towards Hongjoong at a high speed. He lowered his head to avoid the impact but once again Seonghwa saved him. The woman was violently sent to the floor by a shadow lashing out at her like a whip. 

SH: "I told you not to come near him. You ignored my words and this was the consequence." 

Man: "If we can't hurt your precious little human, why don't we duel it out. Like real men."

The tall man pulled up his sleeves.

SH: "I have not come here to play. Not today. Leave. Or more consequences shall befall you." 

Man: "You must be joking me. You."

He pointed at the guy with purple hair.

Man: "Step aside. I'm about teach our little prince a lesson."

The guy moved out of the way and Hongjoong wished he could move too. He trusted Seonghwa to protect him but he did not want to get caught in the middle of a fight between light and dark. But thankfully Seonghwa seemed to know to move away from Hongjoong. His body darkened and in the form of a shadow he moved swiftly across the room and away from Hongjoong. The runes from previously appeared on the tall man's arms and he sent bolts of light towards Seonghwa. But Seonghwa blocked them all completely unbothered. This only agitated the man even more. Two long irregular lines of light appeared on his back and the light they emitted was so strong that it could easily be seen through the back of his jacket. The whole room became brighter but there was still no specific source to the light. The man resumed his attacks but with much more power and speed. A rain of lights flew straight at Seonghwa who instead of blocking them simply sidestepped them. Hongjoong's attention was taken away from the fight when a voice spoke to him.

Purple: "This will very likely escalate. I give you the offer of coming with me. I'll take you to a safer place."

HJ: "I don't trust you."

Purple: "As I said before. I have no intention of causing you any harm. Please trust me. For your own safety."

HJ: "No. I'll stay here. With Seonghwa."

Purple: "You don't get it. Seonghwa is the danger. He is far stronger than you think. You are new to knowledge of our worlds. The tension between angels and demons have lasted for centuries. And even before this certain situation, there has never truly been peace between our two species. Seonghwa's bloodline is both regal and powerful. Even angels know that. You should not get involved with him."

Hongjoong searched the face of the other for clues. Seonghwa was definitely someone important. He was definitely powerful. But he had never hurt Hongjoong. In fact he had always done his best to keep him safe even if it meant he would hurt his own feelings. 

HJ: "I... Believe you. But I don't believe going with you is the right choice."

The other was about to reply when a powerful shockwave shook the whole room. The guy with purple hair stumbled away from Hongjoong and both of them looked towards the fight. A bright flow of light was gushing out from lines in the tall man's back. The light twisted and turned until a pair of large angel wings made our of light took shape. The man flexed them and laughed maniacally. His whole body lit up and he threw himself at Seonghwa. With a fierce look in his eyes Seonghwa swished his right hand dismissively through the air. And along with the movement of his hand came a dark shadow. Like a wave it crashed into the charging angel and hurled him into some nearby chairs. 

The loud clattering of chairs sounded loudly through the room. A new incoming attack made Seonghwa move his attention away from the chairs. The purple haired guy had finally intervened. His powers seemed a lot more controlled than the other man's. The blast hit Seonghwa on the right shoulder and a loud sizzling made it sound like it had scorched his skin. Which was exactly what it had. Seonghwa looked at the injury briefly and immediately returned an attack without showing any signs of discomfort. 

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

The oncoming wave of darkness disintegrated as a golden light flooded the room. The female angel charged at Hongjoong once again. Two voices echoed through the room. Those voices belonged to the tall man and Seonghwa. 

In unison: "NO!"

The angel connected with Hongjoong and the whole room flashed so brightly that even the angels could not keep their eyes open. Along with the flash came an agonizing cry of pain. The the light ceased the female angel was nowhere to be seen. Hongjoong lay curled up on the floor completely motionless. No one moved. The silence was almost painful. 

First one to break the silence was the tall man. First he let out a sob along with some muffled words about loss. Then the chairs he was sitting amongst exploded in all directions. His large wings had cleared the space around him. Chairs and tables lay scattered along the walls of the room. The man was furious. He lit up and prepared an attack once more but this time was his last time. It was a final strike. 

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

The tall man wasn't the only one who was furious. Rage filled Seonghwa and he allowed the darkness within him to swell and expand. Large black feathers pierced through his vest on his left shoulder. One singular long and beautifully twisted horn sprouted from the font-right side of his head. His eyes changed into something less human and with an obnoxious roar he pointed at the attacking angel. The part of the room behind Seonghwa became pitch black and from this darkness came a blizzard of spear-like shadows. The angel was spiked mercilessly, suspended mid air by the shadow tendrils. His inner glow faded and his skin withered where he had been impaled. Soon the angel was nothing more than a withered corpse and the darkness released it's hold on him, letting him flop lifeless to the floor. 

Seonghwa turned to face last standing angel. 

SH: "I suggest you leave. Go home. Tell your superiors about what happened. Tell them I will not hold back against anyone who dares to approach me. Let them understand my wrath."

The two men were now standing few meters apart. 

SH: "If any angels are sent to chase me down. I will declare war."

Seonghwa smiled coldly. 

SH: "And I will not be gentle."

The purple haired angel understood that this was his cue to leave. He scrambled off and jumped out of a window, turning into a bright light headed for the sky similar to a shooting star. 

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

Hongjoong felt completely powerless. His mind was a haze, his whole body ached and his vision swam. He couldn't move. It seemed like the commotion had ended. A hand was laid upon him and a familiar voice spoke softly to him. It sounded distant and he could not discern any of the words. The hand moved and Hongjoong felt the ropes around his wrists loosen and fall of. The hand returned to him and shook him gently a few times. Probably in attempt to make him react. He wanted to. But he couldn't. The hand then moved to his chest feeling for his heartbeat. After confirming he was still alive it moved to his head where it rested. The haze in his mind started to fade and his senses slowly returned. He didn't move while he let the process happen. But something was wrong? Why had it stopped? 

HJ: "Seonghwa?"

His voice was weak and almost inaudible. 

SH: "It will be alright. I am here. I will keep you safe."

HJ: "What happened?"

SH: "That angel. She gave her life to place a curse on you."

HJ: "What does it do?"

Hongjoong felt Seonghwa struggle to say it. 

SH: "She attempted to turn you into one of them. Though a curse. The light within you works like a count down. If it runs out, you will die. The light is also meant to immobilize both your body and your mind, preventing you from going anywhere by yourself. Which means the only way for you to survive is to be brought to their world by another angel. Once there, you will fully become an angel. Just like them."

Seonghwa hesitated for a moment.

SH: "Once you become an angel you are bound to their realm. To the light. It would have rendered us incompatible and even just meeting would be near impossible. She knew that no matter the outcome, it would shatter my heart."

HJ: "So this is the end?"

SH: "I have one idea. But I don't know if it will work."

HJ: "It's worth a try?"

Sirens suddenly sounded in the distance. 

SH: "Let's get away from here first. This fight has stirred up outside attention."

A strong arm snaked around Hongjoong and lifted him up. Seonghwa held him tightly with his right arm only. His left arm was raised, stretched out and hovering in the air to his side. The feathers on his upper chest and shoulder expanded and started to spread. They spread over and across his shoulder and onto his arm. They continued down his arm all the way to his hand. But they didn't stop there. They proceeded further and further until eventually his left arm was a wing. One large wing. The feathers were black but on closer inspection they had a shimmer of green in them. 

Seonghwa stood up with Hongjoong still in his arm. He walked over to the open window which the angel had departed from and climbed onto the window sill. He wriggled the large wing out of the window and positioned himself for a take-off. But there was only one wing? How was the possible? Hongjoong was worried they'd fall and crash but that's when he saw it. Some shadows gathered behind Seonghwa. These shadows shaped themselves into the missing wing. They were ready. Seonghwa kicked off and a few wing beats later they were soaring swiftly through the sky. 

HJ: "Won't we be seen?"

SH: "The night conceals us. As long as there are clouds I can even fly unnoticed during the day."

Although Hongjoong trusted Seonghwa not to drop him he still managed to pinch a little piece of Seonghwa's vest. Just for mental security. 

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

They had been flying for some time when Hongjoong felt them loose altitude. At first it was too dark to see where they were but then the lake with the stars came into view. They landed softly by the lakeside and Hongjoong was was gently laid down in the grass. He tried to move but to no luck. Seonghwa let out a deep sigh somewhere above him.

SH: "I have a theory of how I can save you. But there are consequences."

HJ: "I'm sure it's worth it."

SH: "I do not like it."

HJ: "What is it?"

SH: "If it works, you may never be able to return to this world. At least not like this. And leading a normal life here will be impossible no matter what."

HJ: "But I can still be with you. Right?"

He heard a small sound from Seonghwa that sounded like a smile.

SH: "Yes. We would indeed be able to be together."

HJ: "It's alright then. I won't mind."

SH: "But you will be sacrificing your whole life in this world."

HJ: "But I have you."

Seonghwa made a protesting sound but did not speak any further. 

SH: "Alright. Let us take our leave then."

A strong arm scooped up Hongjoong once again. Seonghwa carried him towards the lake his large wing dragging along the ground behind them. Once they reached the edge of the water Hongjoong felt Seonghwa squeeze him once as if to reassure him. Then he stepped into the lake and they disappeared beneath the surface.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like what you see you can always pop by my IG:  
> @TheMoreYunho and say hi


	7. Vol 1: A Golden Horizon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hongjoong looked up. At first his eyes rested on a green crystal near his face. It was large. Nearly the size of his head. It glowed softly, pulsating with a regular rhythm. His eyes moved on, following the long neck before resting on the head at the end. A smokey grey eye was looking ahead with determination. And as if sensing Hongjoong's gaze it looked down at him. The two of them held the eye contact...

A tingling sensation passed over Hongjoong's body as they dove beneath the surface. He remained dry and he kept breathing normally as if there was no water. Was there actually any water? Hongjoong was suddenly reached by a strange feeling. The arm holding him started to shift and grow around him. The soft hand on him grew into a large, clawed, talon-like hand. The chest which he was held against tightly, shifted likewise. Clothes faded and skin turned into scales. The sound of beating wings deepened proving that the wing had grown into something much larger than what it had been previously. 

Hongjoong looked up. At first his eyes rested on a green crystal near his face. It was large. Nearly the size of his head. It glowed softly, pulsating with a regular rhythm. His eyes moved on, following the long neck before resting on the head at the end. A smokey grey eye looked ahead with determination. And as if sensing Hongjoong's gaze it looked down at him. The two of them held the eye contact whilst soaring through the sky. Then, a voice spoke to Hongjoong. It sounded as if it came from all directions. All around him. But at the same time it also sounded like it came from within his mind. 

SH: "Are you doing alright?"

The voice was amplified and slightly deeper. A new sense of regality seemed to enrich it as well. 

HJ: "Yes..."

His mind felt mostly clear, but his body was almost completely limp. 

HJ: "Are we in the underworld?"

SH: "Mmmhm."

The dragon hummed in response. Hongjoong felt the arm holding him adjust. His body was turned so he could look across the wide spans of land around them. The sky was grayish-blue and an orange light covered the horizon. It looked like a very early sunrise. The terrain below looked miserably desolate. Most plantation looked dead. Lonely shrubs and trees rose nakedly out of the dusty ground. Empty canyons laid agape and dried out depressions were nothing but ghosts of their former selves. 

Aside from the cold and barren landscape were some fires that burnt brightly, their red and yellow flames visible from afar. These fires were the only factor revealing that there was actually life in this world. Hongjoong eyed them curiously. He could see movement by the light but he was too far away to see them clearly. 

HJ: "Who lives here? Zombies?"

SH: "We have many types of undead."

HJ: "Are there any living creatures here?"

SH: "There are a number of species. My bloodline for example. Our type of demon are categorized as living beings. But we are far from any sort of mortal. As you already know. We age slowly and we do not die of age. Ever."

HJ: "When you were with me in my world, you looked human. Besides your magic powers, were there any other things that made you less human."

SH: "Extraterrestrial forces alter our appearance and bodies when we go to a world in which we do not belong. In your world I had a normal heart, I breathed, and blood flowed through my body." 

HJ: "You don't have a heart?!"

The dragon's chest vibrated softly and a melodic chuckle sounded in Hongjoong's mind. 

SH: "I do have a heart right now, but not like yours. In fact, you have already seen my heart."

Hongjoong returned his eyes to the green crystal in the dragon. 

SH: "That is the closest you can come to a heart. It does not move blood like your heart does, but it does keep me alive."

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ────

Hongjoong felt enthralled by the soft glow of the crystal. He was starting to space out when the arm holding him tightened and held him even closer than before. 

???: "Your majesty! You have returned."

The sound of a smaller flying creature approached them. 

SH: "What do you want?"

???: "We cannot wait much longer. You must do something. Our realm is becoming more and more unstable. Do you want to see our world bathed in light?"

SH: "I do not. But I am in the middle of something important right now."

???: "More important than our whole realm? Lord. This is crucial. I know you are young but you cannot keep fooling around like this."

SH: "I said I am busy. Our realm will not fall. Have faith in me!"

Seonghwa's voice seemed to multiply as he put more force into his last words.

???: "My sincerest apologies."

SH: "No offense taken. Now return to your patrol."

???: "Yes sir!"

???: "By the way. What are you holding on to?"

Hongjoong felt Seonghwa turn his head. A deep sneer sounded from within his throat.

???: "Right. None of my business."

As the foreign speaker departed Hongjoong finally caught a glimpse of it. It was a smaller dragon. Rough scales in a muddy color covered it's body. It had wings, hind legs and a spiky tail but lacked front legs. Like a wyvern. 

HJ: "Who was that?"

SH: "A unit sent out to patrol these lands."

HJ: "By whom?"

SH: "The royal family."

HJ: "Did he not call you your majesty?"

SH: "We have arrived."

──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ──── 

A large black castle entered Hongjoong's field of vision. It was so black that he couldn't even make out what material it was made of. Intricate spires and overhangs stuck out here and there. The overall shape was pyramidal. Shorter at the edges with the tallest towers at the center. As they came closer Hongjoong realized the castle was less like a castle but more like a huge mountainous structure. Seonghwa tipped forwards and they decended towards an opening in the side. 

Seonghwa glided gracefully into an enormous hall. Words could not describe the sheer size of the spacious room. It was quite dark but a blue light at one end came to Hongjoong's attention. Two tall torches stood with blue flames blazing atop of them. They were placed on either side of a grand throne. It wasn't big, but the way it had been carved from the raw cliffside-wall behind made it seem much larger and more intimidating. 

Memories of Seonghwa and Hongjoong hanging out in his little apartment flooded Hongjoong's mind. What he had described back then had been the truth. There really was a hall as large as a mansion. There really was a throne. But where was the king? Who was the king? He closed his eyes and recollected. What would life be if both of them were normal humans. Would they be able to grow closer? Would they stick together? Maybe they could even get together. Live together. And spend many days by each other's side. A normal human life. 

SH: "Hongjoong."

He imagined being woken up by Seonghwa. How nice would that be? Maybe he'd even prepare breakfast for the two of them. The image was so clear he could almost hear it. 

SH: "Hongjoong!"

Hongjoong was roughly shaken awake. His mind had suddenly started to become clouded again but from the hard and cold surface beneath him, he gathered that he was no longer being carried. The blue lights from the flames burned brightly somewhere above him. He was lying right by the throne. 

Seonghwa. 

He wanted to say something but his body was failing him. 

The large head of the black dragon came into view and it reached all the way down to Hongjoong and gently nuzzled him with it's snout. 

SH: "This is it. If this fails I will loose you forever."

Deep pain resonated in his voice. Hongjoong was too weak to give him any sort of answer. He felt a large jaw close around him softly, sharp fangs poking into him but causing no harm. He was lifted up and felt himself be placed on the throne. 

A foreign type of energy surged through him from the throne. It hurt. It hurt a lot. If he could, he would probably have cried out. His breathing hitched as the pain increased. 

And then it stopped. 

The whole world seemed to slow down. His breathing slowed. His blood flow slowed. His heart slowed. 

Three words reached him from afar. They echoed distantly in his head. 

"I love you."

Then. Everything slowed to a halt. 

He was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like what you see you can always pop by my IG:  
> @TheMoreYunho and say hi


	8. Vol 1: Long Journey (Outro)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The black dragon sat by the throne, eyes resting on the lifeless man that occupied the seat. It closed it's eyes and lowered it's head. It had failed.

A gentle yet powerful voice echoed through the darkness 

《 Look around you  
Did you find your dream?  
Did you find your treasure? 》

The black dragon sat by the throne, eyes resting on the lifeless man that occupied the seat. It closed it's eyes and lowered it's head. It had failed. 

《 Yes, we have finally found it  
Covering us like the shining light 》

Light came from the throne. First it glowed softly and then the shine intensified and grew brighter. The dragon looked up and stepped away from the throne. After a while the light stopped getting brighter and then it retracted into one small source located right where the heart of the man was. The light was small but it shone brightly like a star. Then once again it dispersed into all directions. The light moved like veins across the cliff-like wall behind the throne. The dragon followed the light with it's eyes as it spread across the walls of the large hall. As it continued to spread the whole structure started to shiver and vibrate. It was almost as if it was coming to life. 

The light continued to spread until it started to move up the tallest and most central tower. It sped up across the spire and when it reached the tip it detached itself from the building and headed for the sky. From there it started to disperse in all directions in the shape of a beautiful aurora. Much like the northern lights. The golden light in the horizon faded and the world was drenched in darkness. 

Or so you would think. 

No. The Aurora in the sky shone brightly keeping the desolate world lit up. But the sky was not the only thing that changed. 

《 Setting us free  
like the winds coming from above  
Can you see the changes? 》

The lands below started to change too. Wind rose and water started to fill up ravines and hollows creating beautiful rivers and lakes. The mostly rotten-away tree stumps shuddered and reached for the sky. They rose high into the air and eventually started growing branches and thereafter leaves. Beautiful forests of different types emerged all across the land. And then. Hundreds of creatures took off from the ground and started to fill up the sky. This included many types of dragons and other flying creatures. Also those not visible to the human eye like ghosts, wraiths and likewise. The previously barren landscape had suddenly become lush and lively. 

《 Let us continue to hope and yearn!  
Though the roaring winds continue to blow  
It will not stop us 》

A strong gale tore through the throne hall. The black dragon folded it's wing the best it could to avoid getting toppled over by the winds. 

《 We are the history  
And we will be the one! 》

The green crystal in the dragon's chest reverberated with a pleasant hum. Ash-grey eyes fell upon the man in the throne, hope shining visibly in them. 

《 Can you hear those voices? 》

A pair of beautiful blue eyes met the dragon's. 

Hongjoong had prevailed. 

⊱ THE END ⊰

──────────── {.⋅ ✦ ⋅.} ────────────

⊱ EPILOGUE ⊰

Hongjoong opened his eyes. His chest really hurt but he was... alive?

HJ: "Seonghwa?"

SH: "Yes!"

The voice replied almost over enthusiastically.

HJ: "We made it?"

SH: "Yes. We did make it."

The dragon came up to Hongjoong and moved it's head close to him. Hongjoong put his arms around the snout and hugged it tightly. 

HJ: "I outlived the curse."

Hongjoong smiled into the hug but the dragon pulled away and looked straight into his eyes with an intense stare.

SH: "You didn't. The curse fulfilled it's purpose."

HJ: "Wait. So how am I still alive?"

SH: "You are existing... but not alive."

The dragon lowered it's head.

SH: "The curse did indeed ensure your death but thanks to the throne's power we were able to outsmart the curse."

HJ: "I'm confused. Have I become an undead? Am I a zombie?"

SH: "No. The throne would not turn you into something that low. I think the best way to describe what you have become is a lich."

Hongjoong looked questionably at the dragon.

SH: "A lich is when someone powerful and very skilled with magic, typically dark magic, purposefully turns themselves into an undead in search for eternal life. To get there they must transfer their soul into an item. And as long as they can protect it and keep the item intact they will remain alive. Your situation is slightly different though. The power within the throne enables this process even though you have no supernatural powers."

HJ: "So now I will live as long as you?"

They eyed each other knowingly. 

SH: "Yes. Neither of us will die unless killed."

Hongjoong grinned up at the dragon.

HJ: "But you say liches have their souls stored in an item. What is my item?"

SH: "Right. In your case it is not your soul that was used, but your heart. The throne isn't just a magical chair. It is part of this very realm. When I placed you on the throne it used your heart to restore my home, the underworld, which was crumbling away."

HJ: "Soooo?"

SH: "The item which stores your heart is the whole realm itself. This realm has become your heart."

HJ: "This means one would have to destroy the underworld to kill me."

SH: "Exactly. This is the price that must be paid to become the king."

HJ: "You were the one who was supposed to take the throne, right? You have been avoiding it for a long time."

Seonghwa looked away guiltily. 

SH: "I have. Being the king did not feel like something I wanted, but as a prince and the oldest son it seemed there was no way to escape this destiny."

HJ: "So you really are a prince! You've been avoiding that topic ever since we met."

SH: "My status here in the underworld is not something I like to boast around with. But besides that, it's a win-win right?"

The dragon nudged Hongjoong playfully.

SH: "I get to not be the king and you get to live for at least as long as me."

HJ: "I think the real win is that the underworld is safe and I can stay by your side."

Seonghwa was about to reply when a voice spoke. 

???: "Who is this?"

Seonghwa's eyes widened and he perked up. 

SH: "Uh! No one." 

???: "No one! You are calling our new king a no one."

Seonghwa turned around as an enormous reddish-brown dragon landed in the hall. This dragon looked like the typical dragon. Four legs, two wings, a tail and a long neck. It looked bulky but not fat. Despite it's bulkiness it was still quite slender. The scales were jagged and rough, and a pair of ram-like horns crowned the top of its head. In its chest was a crystal much like Seonghwa's but in red. Another feature they shared was the soft tufts by or surrounding their crystals, wether it be feathers or just fluff. On the other hand the red dragon's fluff reached all around the base of its neck like the thick fur of a lion, whilst Seonghwa's feathers were fanned out to one side only. 

The red dragon came up to the throne and Hongjoong thought it was quite amusing how it managed to dwarf the black dragon with its own size. Then, it sat down on its hind legs, curling its tail around itself and looked at Hongjoong with large eyes, its head cocked slightly to one side. Much like a puppy. 

???: "Will you introduce us?"

Seonghwa sighed. 

SH: "This is my younger brother, Yunho."

HJ: "Younger?!"

SH: "Only by a few decades."

HJ: "You look so small next to him."

Seonghwa huffed and Yunho pridefully puffed out his chest to seem even larger. Hongjoong noticed how the tip of Yunho's tail wagged, yet again like a happy puppy. 

YH: "I can't believe you found someone to fill in for you. And it's a human too. No. Was a human. You didn't force him did you?"

SH: "Of course not! I would never do that to anyone. This had to be done..."

YH: "Had to?"

SH: "The angels put a curse on him."

YH: "And you thought it was a good idea to make him our king. He has never even been to the underworld before has he?"

Seonghwa lowered his head and spoke very very softly. 

SH: "I couldn't just leave him."

The larger dragon got up and gave Seonghwa a friendly headbutt similar to that of a cat. 

YH: "Hey. Don't worry. If both of you are happy I respect your decision."

Hongjoong couldn't help but smile. The two brothers were very clearly close to each other and had a strong bond. The underworld seemed like a great place so far. 

YH: "Reminds me. Have you seen?"

SH: "Seen what?"

YH: "Our realm. When he became the king everything changed. Our home has never looked this beautiful before. Come! Let me show you!"

Yunho turned around smoothly, kicked off and flew out of the hall through a large gap near the ceiling. 

SH: "Come!"

Seonghwa lowered himself to the floor inviting Hongjoong to hop onto his back. Once seated comfortably they followed Yunho out of the castle. 

What they saw outside had both of them speechless. 

HJ: "This is the same world as the one we arrived in right?"

SH: "I can't believe it. This is... amazing!"

The two dragons landed on the roof of a tower, sharp claws preventing them from sliding off the sleek tiles. 

YH: "My king. You have a beautiful heart."

HJ: "My name is Hongjoong, but what do you mean by heart?"

YH: "I'd guess Seonghwa already told you most of it. Besides using your heart to stabilize and empower our realm, the realm also reflects the heart of the host it's bound to."

Hongjoong couldn't help but smile as he looked over the world before him. A long and very different life was awaiting him. Lots of new things to explore. Lots of time to be spent with not only Seonghwa but now also his brother Yunho. He knew it wouldn't always be as peaceful as it was at this very moment, but he also knew that he would not have to stand alone when facing the unknown future. This whole world was in his hands. It was not only his to protect, it was him. 

A wind blew softly, just like a breath, rivers cascaded through the lands like the flow of blood and the world fluttered with existence like the beating of a heart.

⠀

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like what you see you can always pop by my IG:  
> @TheMoreYunho and say hi


	9. Vol 1: Facts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some fun facts and/or extra information heheh

‼️ **DISCLAIMER** ‼️  
 **Do not proceed unless you have finished chapter 4 or more**  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


──── ⋅ ☾ ⋅ ────  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Hwagon**

_Designed by me_ :D

Inspired by Seonghwa's MAMA 2020 outfit

And here is a link to the actual performance

<https://youtu.be/tQJIszK1EOo>


	10. Vol 2 Ch 1: Sunlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weather was warm like always. Wooyoung was lying in a meadow looking up, into a cloudless sky. Large creatures soared gently through the heavens aimlessly. He closed his eyes and took in the scent of flowers around him. The lush scent of trees reached him, carried along by a little breeze. The sun was pleasantly warm and the mild rays made Wooyoung feel relaxed. His mind started to slip away as drowsiness caught on to him. It was as if he was melting into the soil becoming one with the meadow. 

The sun was shining brightly casting its mild rays over a vast and beautiful landscape far below. Wide ranges of flower-covered meadows stretched far across the world, soft hills keeping it from turning into one flat plain. Woodlands outlined the meadows before the trees condensed and the biome turned into forest. Opal-blue lakes dotted the scenery. Far away lay a chain of mountains, some taller than others. Only the fewest of them had snowy peaks. There were even cliffs somewhere beyond the mountains. Amidst all this other-worldly splendor only one thing stood out. The lacking presence of oceans and clouds together with certain other "too hot" and "too cold" biomes. 

──── ⋅ ★ ⋅ ──── 

The weather was warm like always. Wooyoung was lying in a meadow looking up, into a cloudless sky. Large creatures soared gently through the heavens aimlessly. He closed his eyes and took in the scent of flowers around him. The lush scent of trees reached him, carried along by a little breeze. The sun was pleasantly warm and the mild rays made Wooyoung feel relaxed. His mind started to slip away as drowsiness caught on to him. It was as if he was melting into the soil becoming one with the meadow. 

Wooyoung was almost asleep when something swooped over him. Some playful clacking noises gave away the newcomer's identity. Wooyoung stretched, sat up and looked at his best friend. A small, but horse-sized, cream-white and golden griffin came trotting up to him making small clicking noises of content. It was a beautiful creature. Half lion half eagle. Hind legs and lower body of a lion's, forelegs and head of an eagle with two pairs of large wings on its back. 

Wooyoung ruffled the feathers on its neck. The texture was smooth and felt really soft. It was almost stress-relieving to run your fingers through the plumage. The griffin shook its mane like a dog drying off, causing its wings to flutter adorably behind it. Two small tufts of feathers crowning atop its head bobbed along with the movement.

WY: "Had your fun for today?"

The griffin chirped and nodded once before settling down beside Wooyoung, leaning part of its weight against him. He returned his eyes to the sky where the group of aerial creatures continued to fly about. More griffins. Wooyoung was certain that not all of them were griffins though. The creatures most likely to join them were hippogriffs. They were quite similar to griffins after all. Another airborne creature was the pegasus. But as they usually didn't hang around other species it seemed very unlikely. Of course there were also perytons. Perytons were incredibly timid creatures and they never joined larger groups like that. Typically they'd stay on the ground grazing peacefully with their own kind in isolated parts of forests, even though they had wings and were perfectly capable of flying. 

Wooyoung twisted his body so he could rest up against his griffin friend. They stayed like this for a while. Just lying in the meadow amongst the flowers slowly baking away under the sun. First to move was the griffin. Wooyoung felt it raise its head. A figure came towards them. It was a man. Sort of. He was tall and moved with influence. His features were all beautifully defined. Sharp nose, sharp jawline, slightly plump lips and kind, almond-shaped eyes. Quite notably was his crimson hair. Though that was definitely not his most notable feature. That was his wings. One absolutely enormous pair of wings protruded from his back. Another pair of wings, slightly smaller, were located a bit lower, spooned by the largest pair. There was actually a third pair of wings too. They were minuscule. Placed all the way down in the small of his back and always hidden away under his white shirt. Wooyoung only knew about them because he had seen them once long ago. 

This man with six wings was actually an angel. More specifically, a seraph. A seraph is defined by its six wings. They are insanely powerful and belong to the very top of the angel hierarchy. Wooyoung was an angel too. An archangel. Only one pair of wings though. 

The seraph stopped before Wooyoung who got up along with his friend. 

Seraph: "How do you feel?"

Wooyoung looked away at implication of the question. 

WY: "I think I'm alright. I didn't know them well anyways."

Seraph: "It must have been difficult to witness the loss of two lives."

WY: "I already said I'm alright. They were no more than two strangers joining me on that mission."

Seraph: "Wooyoung! You cannot act this indifferent. They were living beings. Angels. And we just lost two of them. As angels we stand together and grief in unison."

WY: "Yes." 

Wooyoung lowered his head and sincere solemness surfaced within his heart. But the solemn emotion was not for the late angels. The griffin nuzzled its beak into Wooyoung's hand to comfort him. It knew why he was sad. 

Seraph: "I didn't come here to talk about our lost familiars. Not today. I came to ask you if you think you're ready to take on another mission. Down to earth that is."

Wooyoung raised his head and looked at the seraph with wide eyes. He had been avoiding earth since the incident. Not because of the two "lost forever" angels, but because of someone else. Someone who was most certainly also long gone. 

Seraph: "I understand if you do not feel ready for this task yet. It's not a problem to find someone else. 

The griffin observed Wooyoung attentively. There was no doubt that it could feel his uneasiness. Before either angel spoke the griffin raised its head to the seraph and looked at him with determined eyes.

Seraph: "You offer to take the mission in his place?"

It nodded.

Seraph: "I see. Please join me and I shall let you know about it."

The seraph looked at Wooyoung before he took off. 

Seraph: "If you ever need to talk I'll be here for you. Once I get all the formalities out of the way you and I will be able to converse normally. As friends."

He smiled and winked once before folding out his four huge wings, letting them carry him effortlessly to the sky. Wooyoung's best friend, the griffin, looked at him once before following the seraph. 

──── ⋅ ★ ⋅ ──── 

Wooyoung had retreated into some woods after seeing his friend off. The dense growth of trees muted most of the sounds from outside. It was quiet. And despite Wooyoung being an angel he oddly enjoyed the dimness of the forest. He loved the way the sunlight filtered through the leaves casting visible rays of light to the floor of the forest. As he continued through the woods distant sounds reached him. Most of those sounded quite high pitched but he could make out a few deeper pitches too. 

Following the curious noises Wooyoung finally halted by a tree. The noises were not far off now. He lowered his wings to the ground behind him and crouched behind a bush. Peeking through the leaves he saw them. A large-ish heard of perytons playing around in a little clearing. The clearing was covered by three crowns but it seemed to let in more sunlight here than in the rest of the forest. 

These shy creatures were full of diversity. Their size ranged from tiny fawn-sized to full sized stags. Most were the size of a large dog though. Maybe a wolf? Their backs were about the height of Wooyoung's waist. Besides their significant size differences they had lots of visual differences too. Some were four-legged with wings, others were two legged. Some had antlers others didn't. Even those of same body type varied a lot. Deer legs, bird legs, some had both. Only a very small number of them had bird heads. The rest had deer heads. 

Perytons were known to most but barely everyone had ever seen one. Yet here he was, observing a complete herd of them. A movement caught Wooyoung's eyes. From off to one side came a large creature. A peryton, walking pridefully into the clearing. It's fur and feathers were a deep cerulean blue. It was four legged with one pair of wings. Similar to the griffin, its front legs were those of a deer's and the hind legs those of a bird. From the behavior of the other perytons, this one must be the leader or protector of the herd. 

Wooyoung was holding his breath. It was such a beautiful sight to take in. He wanted to leave without causing any sort of disturbance but as he was about to leave he felt something. Wooyoung turned around to see a tiny peryton scrambling to get under his wing. It must've mistaken him for one of its own. He was unsure what to do. Should he stay? Should he move it? Or should he move himself away from it? The little creature came all the way up to him and looked at him with large eyes. Seeing its curious little face this close he couldn't help but give it a little pet behind its ear. He smiled. It was nice to think about something else. 

Since the incident with the demon prince, Wooyoung had been feeling all kinds of emotions. He was sad because Hongjoong, a human he had met on earth, was probably dead. Killed by another angel. Besides that, Wooyoung was probably the reason why the underworld had finally restored their monarchy. He knew lots of angels were mad at him for it. But Wooyoung honestly didn't care much about it. None of them could prove that he was actually the reason. Besides, the balance between light and dark being restored had lowered the temperatures in the overworld. The current mild temperature with fresh breezes was much nicer than the windless and slightly too hot state this realm had been in for the past decades. 

Somehwere behind him came a loud bellow. The lead peryton was assembling the herd. Wooyoung looked to the small peryton beside him. It had fallen asleep but was now awake, and stumbling through the bush and back to its family. Wooyoung decided it was time to go back. He walked away from the clearing and found a place where the canopy was thin. There was almost no space to fold out his wings but after a tight squeeze he escaped the forest and soared through the skies. 

──── ⋅ ★ ⋅ ────

Wooyoung loved the skies. His wings were white with a slight tint of lilac, matching his hair and eyes. They were sharply defined and had the similar shape of a falcon's wings. They were made for speed. He was probably one of the fastest angels in fact. And incredibly agile too. 

From the sky he finally found what he was looking for. A small lake came into view far below. Wooyoung leant forwards and into a steep dive, pulling up right before he hit the ground where waited beside the lake. It didn't take long before the golden feathers of his friend broke through the surface. He hugged the griffin who nestled its head into the crook of his neck. 

WY: "How did it go?"

The griffins body started to shrink his embrace becoming something much smaller. A few moments later, Wooyoung was hugging a four-winged angel about the same height as himself. He had a roundish face and cream-blonde hair, identical to the griffin's feathers. 

???: "I'd say it went quite well."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like what you see you can always pop by my IG:  
> @TheMoreYunho and say hi


	11. Vol 2 Ch 2: Did you miss me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> YS: “I...”
> 
> WY: “You?”
> 
> YS: “I can’t say.”
> 
> WY: “There are no rules about that. I’m your best friend.”
> 
> YS: “I really can’t.”
> 
> Yeosang looked away from Wooyoung and this irritated Wooyoung. They had never kept secrets from each other before. Not like this. Why was Yeosang avoiding having to explain the situation? 

Wooyoung was sitting on a cliff with his best friend. They had been sitting in silence since their arrival.

YW: “Yeosang?”

YS: “Yeah?”

WY: “That mission of yours. You have to return to earth again?”

YS: “Yeah. I think I might have to go there many times. It seems to be one of the long term ones.”

WY: “I’ll be lonely without you.”

Yeosang looked at his friend. 

YS: “If you ever feel better about earth, maybe you will be allowed to join me.”

Wooyoung sighed. 

WY: “I don’t feel ready yet.”

YS: “You really cared about him? That human.”

WY: “I’m not even sure. I barely knew him. I never even told him my name. And he probably thought I’m some evil guy until he reached his end. He and the demon prince were really close. I could feel it. I had no chance at becoming close to either of them.”

YS: “I see. Maybe you can find a new human if you come with me.”

WY: “It’s not about finding a human. We both know that. We’re creatures from a different world. Technically we shouldn’t be mingling with humans at all.”

The two of them grinned at each other. They both knew Yeosang hadn’t meant it seriously. 

YS: “How about finding some other angel friends? To keep you company while I’m gone.”

Wooyoung shook his head and returned his gaze to the scenery in front of them.

WY: “No one likes me now, no one liked me then. I was always different. I don’t think I could ever become close with any angel.”

YS: “But you have me.”

WY: “You’ve always spent more time as a griffin than an angel. I even thought you were an actual griffin for years after we first met.”

Yeosang laughed at their early memories together. The two of them had met right here by the cliffs some centuries ago. Yeosang had been in his griffin form as he preferred. He had been so used to being a griffin that he had almost forgotten that he was actually an angel. Wooyoung had been so shocked when he first showed his actual form. He had thought it was a prank. Yeosang had been very thankful that exposing Wooyoung to the truth hadn’t altered their friendship in any way. Everything had continued as before. 

YS: “So you think we’re only friends because I’m more griffin than angel?”

WY: “Could be. I’ve always had a good relationship to magical creatures that aren't humanoid. They don’t hold any prejudice against me. They just meet me and get to know me through time spent together.”

YS: "Are you calling me simple-minded?" 

WY: "Of course not."

Wooyoung hit Yeosang, who was grinning, on the shoulder softly. They remained at their little spot for some time chatting away until Yeosang finally stood up. 

YS: "I should probably get going soon. I need to go back down to earth."

WY: "I'll be awaiting your return then."

YS: "I'll try to come back fast."

Yeosang smiled once before dropping off the cliffside, Wooyoung watching his four wings extend and balloon as the warm air currents kept him afloat. His wings were different from Wooyoung's that were made for speed. Yeosang's were wide and the tips were notched unlike Wooyoung's that were slimmer, with a bend in the middle and pointed at the tips. 

Wooyoung remained by the cliffs for his friend to return. He was patient. But Yeosang took long. Much longer than expected. Eventually Wooyoug took off and left. Had something happened?

──── ⋅ ★ ⋅ ──── 

The pattern kept repeating itself over and over. Yeosang would come and go and it didn't take long before he was away more than he was in the overworld. Wooyoung started to wonder what was going on. He couldn't ask anyone about it because the angels didn't share their tasks with each other. He could of course ask the seraph but Wooyoung knew he would never get an explanation from him. Due to Yeosang's absence Wooyoung started to spend more time in the forest with the perytons. They had noticed him a little while ago and to his surprise they had been quite relaxed with his presence. He knew he was good with creatures of that kind but he hadn't expected it to be the same for these shy little things. 

Wooyoung needed to speak to Yeosang about how he felt. Yeosang would definitely understand. And he probably had a good reason for his long absences too. He’d return to the overworld soon. If everything went as planned at least. Wooyoung moved a little peryton off his lap and stood up. He said goodbye to the creatures and left the forest. 

──── ⋅ ★ ⋅ ──── 

The water was crystal clear. The small body of water no larger than a small pond. Wooyoung was probably taller than it was wide. He waited patiently until finally the surface started to ripple. A familiar golden beak pierced through the water. The griffin squeezed through the gap, its wings folded tightly against its body. 

WY: “We need to talk.”

──── ⋅ ★ ⋅ ────

YS: “You don’t need to worry about me.”

WY: “I’m glad all is well but you’re away for such long periods of time. Something feels wrong.”

The two friends were standing under a tree in the shade at the outskirts of the forest with the perytons.

YS: “I’ll try to be quick in the future.”

WY: “You say that every time but it never gets any better. If anything, you’re just taking longer and longer.”

YS: “I’m doing my best.”

WY: “Are you really? Did I do something to upset you? You can tell me.”

YS: “You didn’t do anything.”

WY: “So if your mission isn’t dangerous, why does it take so much time?”

YS: “I...”

WY: “You?”

YS: “I can’t say.”

WY: “There are no rules about that. I’m your best friend.”

YS: “I really can’t.”

Yeosang looked away from Wooyoung and this irritated Wooyoung. They had never kept secrets from each other before. Not like this. Why was Yeosang avoiding having to explain the situation? 

Something rustled in the bush behind the tree. Two large eyes peeked out from between the twigs. 

YS: “Is that?”

Wooyoung instantly brightened up when he recognized the little peryton from earlier. 

WY: “Yes. I made friends with a herd living in these woods.”

The peryton stuck its head out of the bush to greet Wooyoung, but pulled back when Yeosang moved. 

YS: “It’s so small.”

WY: “Most of them are actually surprisingly small. Only three or four of them are taller than me.”

YS: “Wow. I didn’t know.”

WY: “They always act so shy around other species but they’re actually really social creatures.”

YS: “Think I can get close if I change?”

WY: “I doubt it. You’re much larger as a griffin. You’ll probably scare it away.”

Yeosang didn’t let Wooyoung finish his sentence before he became a griffin. The little peryton glanced at him once before disappearing back into the woods. 

WY: “Yeosang!”

Wooyoung looked at his friend. The griffin lowered its head and looked guilty. Then it raised its head and tried to nudge Wooyoung into the forest as if trying to tell him: go after it. 

He did. Or at least faked doing it. 

From behind a tree Wooyoung watched Yeosang hurry off to wherever he went. Wooyoung followed him from the shadows of the forest. Eventually they arrived back at the little pond that Yeosang had emerged from not many moments ago. And he did not hesitate a single moment before diving straight down through the surface. 

Wooyoung gave it a few minutes before he left the shadows and snuck up to the small body of water. As per usual it reflected the beautiful blue sky but after he put his hand to the surface it became transparent and he could look down at earth like a window in the clouds. Was he actually going to follow his friend down to earth? Was he mentally ready to return?

He took a deep breath and took in the all the sensations from the overworld. The blooming flower fields, the lush forests, the wind from the mountains and warmth of the ever-so-warm sun. And then he dove into the pond, head first. 

──── ⋅ ★ ⋅ ──── 

The evening air was cool against Wooyoung’s cheeks. He shivered slightly, unused to the colder temperatures. The sky was painted deep purple with some faint golden light coming up from behind the tall buildings. The area felt familiar but not familiar enough to trigger any uneasiness. At least not yet. Where could Yeosang have gone to? The city was huge and on wings he could be anywhere. As Wooyoung continued down the street his eyes fell upon some trees. A pang of recognition stuck him and he inhaled sharply through his now gritted teeth. A park. THE park? He looked around nervously before eventually moving forwards again. Could Yeosang be here? Definitely not. Such coincidences don’t happen. 

Wooyoung stepped through the tall iron gates of the park. The sun had now set completely leaving only the light from the street lights and the city. He stopped in his tracks and gazed at the heavens. It had been months since he had last seen a night sky. The sun never set in the overworld. And if it did, it meant the realm was falling apart. After checking his surroundings to make sure he was alone, Wooyoung focused his mind on the lights willing them to dim. As darkness took over the park he changed his focus from the lamps to the sky. Even when squinting he could not see the stars. Deciding it was worth the risk Wooyoung manipulated the light coming from the surrounding city to let the stars shine through. He sincerely hoped that there were no planes in the sky at this moment or they would definitely notice the unnatural lighting. 

As Wooyoung admired the distant specs of light called stars the crunch of footsteps on a path reached him. Snapping out of his little trance he quickly allowed the city light back to its normal state and hurried off the path to hide amongst some bushes. He let the street lamps remain dimmed to avoid anyone being suspicious of them relighting so suddenly. When the footsteps came closer he peeked around to see who it was. Wooyoung had an aching feeling that he knew exactly who it might be. And sure enough. The familiar contour of his best friend came into view. But he wasn’t alone. 

A tall, very tall, figure strode along beside Yeosang. His shoulders and chest were broad and well defined. It seemed like they were chatting together. Their voices were inaudible at this distance but Wooyoung could tell they were close. Was this what he was doing whilst off on his so called missions? Just chatting away with a random stranger. And what was so great about this person? What exactly made Yeosang neglect his closest friend for someone else?

While Wooyoung was sizzling away in his own thoughts the little duo had bidden each other farewell and went separate ways. The stranger disappeared down the path and deeper into the park. Weird. Yeosang on the other hand remained where he was until he eventually scoured the area with his eyes briefly before he shifted into an eagle and took off to the skies. Wooyoung stayed sitting behind the trees deep in his own thoughts. He had to get to the bottom of this. There’s no way he’d tell Yeosang he’d been spying on him. Not yet. He sighed and got up. His throat was dry and he decided to grab a drink before returning to the overworld once more. 

──── ⋅ ★ ⋅ ────

The cold LED lights from shop windows illuminated Wooyoung’s side as he walked down the street. With one hand in his pocket, the other carrying a cold and mostly untouched drink he moved along mindlessly. It was pretty late night and the streets lay desolate. Why stay any longer. There was nothing for him in this world but somehow there was something within him that kept him from leaving. His mind wandered off to a certain human but he shook it off. He refused to linger on someone he barely even knew. But why had their encounter felt so important to him? There was more to it than met the eye. Wooyoung was sure of it. 

And that’s when it happened. A familiar voice echoed through the night. Wooyoung looked up from the pavement and straight into a pair of blue eyes. 

???: “Did you miss me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like what you see you can always pop by my IG:  
> @TheMoreYunho and say hi


	12. Vol 2 Ch 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wooyoung's eyes widened at the sight before him. A male figure about the same height as himself stood in his path. His hair was a dark ashy-blue color and he was wearing all black. A dark grey tshirt tucked into some soft looking trousers of same color with a big and fluffy coat. Draped over his right shoulder was a pair of chains as part of the design. A black velvety chocker hugged his neck along with two chain necklaces that matched the chain on his coat. 
> 
> WY: "But... how? I thought you were... gone. Dead."
> 
> A smirk spread across the dark haired's face as he spoke. 

???: "Did you miss me?"

Wooyoung's eyes widened at the sight before him. A male figure about the same height as himself stood in his path. His hair was a dark ashy-blue color and he was wearing all black. A dark grey tshirt tucked into some soft looking trousers of same color with a big and fluffy coat. Draped over his right shoulder was a pair of chains as part of the design. A black velvety chocker hugged his neck along with two chain necklaces that matched the chain on his coat. 

WY: "But... how? I thought you were... gone. Dead."

A smirk spread across the dark haired's face as he spoke. 

???: "I would've considered myself dead too if not for the fact that I'm standing right here, very much alive."

WY: "You can't be. There is no known method of escaping that curse."

???: "Maybe not to you, but Seonghwa took a shot in the dark and it worked."

Wooyoung eyed him closely. There had got to be a catch to this. The other watched him peacefully as Wooyoung looked for anything unnatural. Suddenly it hit him and he looked up with both shock and fear. 

WY: "No way."

A smile spread across the other man's face as he started to move towards Wooyoung, his chains gleaming dangerously in the cold LED lights. The temperature suddenly dropped massively in just a few seconds. Wooyoung impulsively let go of his drink as it froze in his hands and shattered against the pavement. Clouds of mist came from his mouth with every breath he took and he stepped back. His mind was getting hazy with fear. 

WY: "Stop it. Let's talk it out. Please!"

???: "Do you actually expect me to do that? No one talked it out with me back when you guys kidnapped me. No one talked it out with me when all you wanted was Seonghwa."

He laughed eerily. 

???: "But too bad for you Seonghwa is mine. And I have no intention of letting anyone harm him."

WY: "You don't understand! I don't care about Seonghwa. I never did. My mission was to stalk him and report his actions to some angels back in the overworld. Not to get close to him."

???: "Then why involve me in that whole thing? Could you not have kept stalking him without it affecting me?"

WY: "The other angels insisted that we should use you to lure him out. They wanted to take him down. They were so sure they could obliterate the prince and return to the overworld with honour."

???: "How stupid of them to think they could actually best the prince. The supposed-to-be king of the underworld."

Wooyoung's breathing was heavy. His whole body was on point and ready to act if the other attacked. When he resumed speaking he spoke quietly and with caution. 

WY: "So... I assume he didn't become the king after all."

The two locked eyes.

???: "As he wished."

WY: "It's you..."

The other nodded. 

A silence fell between them for a moment. 

The dark haired spoke first. 

???: "I guess I should thank you for giving me the opportunity to stay with Seonghwa. Buuuuut you technically destroyed my life as a human."

WY: "It wasn't-"

???: "Take this as payback and a warning."

He motioned towards Wooyoung and a wave of darkness came towards him. Utilizing the light from the shop window Wooyoung deflected the dark wave. 

WY: "Stop it!"

???: "Just stay away from Seonghwa. From me. And from all the creatures of the dark."

WY: "I never inte-"

Wooyoung was cut off as the window beside him shattered with a loud crack. The temperature had dropped even further and the window had not been able to handle it. And one by one the lights coming from the buildings turned off. Wooyoung knew that soon a large part of the city would be in a blackout. A blackout with seemingly no cause. This would undoubtedly stir up a lot of confusion amongst the citizens. He needed to stop this fight before it escalated. 

He was left no time to think because the air was becoming painfully cold. Wooyoung doubted that any human would've remained conscious at this point. Only his own inner glow kept him on his feet. The darkness swiveled around him. Ready to crush him at any moment. And when it did he only just managed to escape it by flickering away landing himself on a balcony two stories up. 

The other's eyes were glowing madly and it was clear he wanted to cause great harm to Wooyoung. Suddenly an idea hit Wooyoung. 

WY: "Hongjoong!"

The other froze in his tracks, another wave of darkness ready to be launched. His eyes had changed from madness to bewilderedness. 

WY: "Are you happy at least?"

Hongjoong's mouth fell open, questions ready to leave him. But they never did. 

Wooyoung smiled solemnly and lowered his head for the king. Upon raising his head again a pair of glowing lilac wings sprouted from his back. He kicked off and with only two beats of the large wings he was soaring towards the sky, back to the overworld. 

──── ⋅ ★ ⋅ ──── 

With his heartbeat racing like crazy Wooyoung shot towards the hole in the clouds that would lead him back home. He was freezing not only from the cold but also from the fear. As he broke through the surface he felt the warmth embrace him bit by bit. His wings of light materialized becoming physical and feathered. He crawled onto the grass, flopped onto his back and stayed like this for a while. His eyes were closed and his chest was heaving up and down. As he rubbed the blood flow back into his fingers he tried to process what had just transpired. 

Hongjoong was the new king of the underworld. He would be insanely powerful and if he actually wanted Wooyoung's life, he'd stand no chance against him. That thought was terrifying as he knew Seonghwa was still much much more powerful that Hongjoong would ever become. Seonghwa. Crown prince of the underworld. The very embodiment of darkness itself. Hongjoong on the other hand. A normal human. Nothing more than a vessel holding the power of the dark realm. Back in the underworld Hongjoong was probably Seonghwa's superior. But back on earth, that didn't seem likely. There, Hongjoong would need to draw his powers from the underworld whilst Seonghwa. He WAS the power. 

Yeosang. He had to warn Yeosang about it. Maybe even the seraph. Wooyoung stood up. He felt unstable. But that didn't matter. He had wings. He swiftly took to the skies again. Where could Yeosang be? Maybe by the cliffs with the other griffins. On his way he nearly collided with someone mid-air. Wooyoung who was still in distress lost his balance and teetered dangerously. A big and strong hand closed around his upper arm preventing him from going into a free fall. As Wooyoung didn't start flapping his wings again the other carried him to the ground where he was placed gently in a grassy meadow. 

Wooyoung sat awkwardly with his wings spread out flat on the ground behind him. He looked up and met the gentle gaze of the seraph. 

Seraph: "Are you unhurt?"

WY: "Y- yeah. Thank you for catching me."

Seraph: "Did something happen to you? You look pale."

WY: "I..."

He trailed off. Doubt seeped into him. Should he mention Hongjoong?

The seraph reached out and placed a hand against the side of Wooyoung's face. The expression on his face immediately changed. 

Seraph: "You're cold. Very cold."

WY: "It's nothing. I just went to uh down to earth. It's winter right now."

Wooyoung tried to laugh it off but it came through as forced and awkward. 

Seraph: "This cold is different. Wooyoung you cannot hide the cold trace of darkness from me."

The mostly faked smile on Wooyoung's face faded. 

Seraph: "Now. Tell me what happened?"

WY: "Maybe later? I want to find Yeosang."

Seraph: "Stay."

The seraph abruptly unfolded his huge wings, blocking out the sunlight in the act and held them out in a menacing manner giving Wooyoung very clear signs that he should stay put. 

Seraph: "Tell me."

His voice was gentle as ever but now also filled with sternness and authority. His gaze was sharp yet soft at the same time. Wooyoung wasn't sure how to react. He swallowed once before speaking. 

WY: "It is true that the underworld has a new king. But it is not the prince."

The seraph closed his eyes for a few seconds and opened them again. A sign that he wanted Wooyoung to go on. 

WY: "The new king is a human."

An unexpected expression took over the seraph's face. 

Seraph: "A what?"

WY: "A human."

Wooyoung briefly noticed a flicker in the seraph's eyes. 

Seraph: "This must be reported this instant. 

WY: "He is powerful! And he holds a close bond to the prince. He may be weaker, but Seonghwa will definitely not let any harm come to him."

Seraph: "Seonghwa?"

WY: "I- what?"

The seraph had moved away from Wooyoung and Wooyoung was trying to get up from the ground. 

Seraph: "Did you just call him Seonghwa?"

WY: "Maybe? Does it matter?"

Wooyoung hated the situation. Something felt wrong. 

The seraph stood unmoving for a moment, then he bobbed his head gently so his crimson hair fell forwards and concealed his eyes. 

Seraph: "No. it doesn't matter."

And with those words he took off back into the skies. 

──── ⋅ ★ ⋅ ──── 

Time had passed since Wooyoung had seen the seraph. It had taken him quite a while to track down Yeosang. Turns out his griffin friend had fallen asleep on a smaller cliff ledge out of the sun's reach. The cream colored feathers and fur had blended in perfectly with the dry, sun scorched rocks of the cliff. After Yeosang had changed form Wooyoung had managed to squeeze in beside him. 

YS: "You had something important to tell me?"

WY: "Yes. I want to warn you about someone."

YS: "Someone?"

Yeosang raised his eyebrow at Wooyoung.

WY: "There's a certain person roaming the surface of earth."

YS: "And?"

WY: "And I recommend keeping your distance. They're dangerous and you could get hurt if you get involved with them."

YS: "But wait. How do you know about what goes on down on earth?"

WY: "Huh?"

YS: "You didn't follow me did you?"

WY: "No. Not at all. Why would I?"

Yeosang sighed. Wooyoung wasn't good at hiding lies. 

YS: "Listen. I understand that this whole situation is making you uncomfortable. But please don't stalk me."

WY: "You were the one who insisted on not explaining what's going on to me."

YS: "That doesn't mean you have the right to go ahead and stalk me!"

WY: "You're right. It doesn't. But-"

YS: "What if my mission was actually dangerous. What if you got hurt from that little stunt of yours. Don't follow me into the unknown like that."

WY: "Well thankfully all was well. In fact too well it seemed. Who was that guy you were with?"

YS: "Yu- who? Just how much did you see?"

Wooyoung squinted at his friend. The air was tense and it made him uncomfortable. 

WY: "I didn't hear anything. I just saw you."

Yeosang was about to respond when a huge beam of of light shot into the sky from somehwere in the distance. A signal. The angels were being summoned. Something that had not happened in many many centuries.


End file.
